The Independent

Plunging into the cesspool of contemporary American politics, The Independent tries to shock desensitized moviegoers with tales of lurid scandals and high-profile coverups.

While its idealistic heart is in the right place, taking swipes at both sides of the aisle, this limp satirical thriller feels like a missed opportunity — swinging at broad targets but lacking the subtlety and nuance to resonate more deeply.

It follows Elisha (Jodie Turner-Smith), an ambitious young reporter at the fictional Washington Chronicle eager for a breakthrough as she follows in her ailing father’s footsteps.

Trying to make her mark, she earns the trust of Nick (Brian Cox), a famous no-nonsense columnist with a crotchety disposition, who mentors her as a protégé as they follow the build-up to a historic presidential election.

The candidates include a female Republican senator (Ann Dowd) and a potentially viable independent candidate (John Cena), for whom Eli’s boyfriend (Luke Kirby) is a high-level adviser.

Eli’s digging for stories seems to rejuvenate Nick, especially when a source uncovers a bombshell conspiracy that could reshape the race, if only they can find proof. Her ambition and perseverance is admirable as she navigates a cutthroat maze of partisan rhetoric, lobbyists, special interests, corporate greed, and corruption.

Rookie screenwriter Evan Parter exploits the polarized ideological landscape with a well-researched examination of insider networks and shady deal-making among the Beltway elite. However, just as Eli and Nick are hardly Woodward and Bernstein, their discovery isn’t the scathing expose it aspires to be.

The film waters down its satirical impact with persistent neutrality — an earnest portrayal of old-school investigative journalism as a heroic bastion of truth. It’s more powerful is smaller segments before drowning in contrived twists, buzzwords, and talking points as it struggles to raise the dramatic stakes.

The narrative debut of documentary filmmaker Amy Rice (Broadway Rising) benefits from a talented ensemble cast. However, Cox and Stephen Lang both have their scene-stealing flourishes as irascible old news hounds.

The Independent takes on the same feisty resilience as Eli, except given the topical relevance of the subject matter, it’s unlikely to generate the desired righteous indignation over a broken system and its morally bankrupt enablers.

Its hopeless tone seems more accurate, signaling that maybe you shouldn’t be so confident about your next vote.

Rated R, 107 minutes.