Whenever The Sun newspaper is mentioned these days, you’ll likely hear people scoff, call it names, or just talk about how bad it really is. But if you’re like me, you may have had no idea how the newspaper originally got that reputation. You’ll no longer have to wonder, though, as Ink will detail that journey for you.
Adapted from James Graham‘s play by the same name, Danny Boyle‘s Ink spans the meteoric rise of The Sun after Larry Lamb (Jack O’Connell) accepts Rupert Murdoch’s (Guy Pearce) offer to become the editor of the British tabloid, which, in 1969, was a fairly small newspaper, struggling to stand out amongst the giants.
In true Boyle fashion, Ink is not your standard biopic. It’s a tense and gritty look at the greed that comes with success and the lengths people, particularly Lamb, will go to achieve it. O’Connell really drives this home. Initially playing a meek magazine editor who simply wants to please his boss, he gradually transforms into an egotistical maniac willing to leave a path of destruction in his wake to get ahead of the competition, regardless of whose lives he ruins along the way.
Pearce and O’Connell are also joined by Claire Foy as Julie Davis, one of the first female writers at The Sun and Lamb’s mistress. Although her character is not based on one specific person, she represents the many female reporters working on Fleet Street at the time, and her importance to the story cannot be understated. Julie plays a significant role in the paper’s success, helping recruit the models featured in its pages. However, as Lamb continues to embrace controversy to drive sales and introduces what becomes famously known as ‘Page Three’, Julie begins to realise just how far he is willing to go, and that he has finally crossed a line.
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Towards the end, Ink takes an Oppenheimer-like approach, using a montage to connect the newspaper’s boundary-pushing legacy to the modern media landscape, including footage of Andrew Tate and Bonnie Blue. It may be a little on the nose, but it was a genuinely eye-opening moment as the audience realises the massive and damaging snowball effect that Lamb and Murdoch’s influence on the media has had on the world today.
If you didn’t know much about the true story, you could easily assume it was written specifically for the big screen. With a story that feels almost unbelievable, a crime subplot that turns into a murder mystery and some extremely controversial elements, it’s certainly one that’s sure to ruffle a few feathers.
However, the story wasn’t the only thing that attracted controversy following the film’s debut at the Venice Film Festival in September. Critics were quick to point out that Boyle had used AI for elements of the film, including the rats and Margaret Thatcher’s face. Shortly after the accusations emerged, Boyle admitted to using the technology, stating: “Whether people admit it or not, it’s sort of built into the VFX; I wouldn’t replace actors with it unless I had a very specific use.” He added that “It’s a tool that can be used if there’s a proper and decent way to use it that doesn’t put anybody out of work and is respectful to its power.”
At a time when AI is posing such a significant threat to the arts, it’s a real shame that Boyle chose to use these tools instead of relying on VFX artists and actors, particularly when their use didn’t feel necessary in the scenes in question. The controversy has almost certainly affected the film’s reception, with many promising to boycott its upcoming release. When the rest of the film is so good, it’s disappointing that just 30 seconds of AI usage threatens to overshadow an otherwise excellent film.
★★★★
In cinemas from 8th January 2027 / Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce, Claire Foy / Dir: Danny Boyle / StudioCanal / TBC
