Shattered Glass

PG-13

Released Nov 14, 2003

1h 35m

Drama

List

92%

Tomatometer

166 Reviews

79%

Audience Score

10,000+ Ratings

Young hotshot journalist Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen) puts on a good show for his adoring editor, Michael Kelly (Hank Azaria), but admits deep insecurities to his fellow writer, Caitlin Avey (Chloë Sevigny). When Glass begins turning in outrageous stories, his popularity skyrockets, but rival journalist Charles Lane (Peter Sarsgaard) becomes suspicious as to their factual accuracy, and eventually discovers that Glass has been fabricating many of his sources.

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Critics Consensus

A compelling look at Stephen Glass' fall from grace.

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Joshua Rothkopf

In These Times

What Billy Ray's confident debut lacks in situational dramatics...it more than makes up for in the central performance of young Hayden Christensen...

Mar 16, 2020

Full Review

Antonia Quirke

London Evening Standard

Being a film about fibs, it is desperate not to tell any. Big mistake.

Dec 14, 2017

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Ray propels the lamentable tale along at a brisk clip, is clear in his storytelling and mercifully avoids moralizing or self-congratulation.

Apr 27, 2011

Full Review

Eve Tushnet

Patheos

I did watch it at least twice in a row and then listen to the dvd commentary instead of doing literally anything else with my life...

Nov 10, 2020

Full Review

PJ Nabarro

Patrick Nabarro

Hayden Christensen and Peter Sarsgaard in the two main roles turn in career-best performances as their respective characters' descent/ascent is so cleverly played out.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 3, 2020

Full Review

Mark Amory

The Spectator

Just as I was starting to wonder not only if I did really like Steve that much but also if it were possible that I was not even meant to, a story of his is challenged.

Feb 1, 2018

Full Review

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Les M

Very good movie based on the true story of Stephen Glass fabricating stories when he worked as a writer for New Republic from 1995 to 1998. Hayden Christensen is good as Stephen Glass, but Peter Sarsgaard's performance as Chuck Lane is very good and even garnered him a Golden Globe nomination. Steve Zahn is also very good as the competitor who discovers that Hacker Heaven was a fictitious article. Chloë Sevigny and Melanie Lynskey were underutilized, so we did not know why their characters were so loyal to Stephen Glass (and to Hank Azaria's character, the former editor of New Republic, Michael Kelly). This is a difficult movie to give a rating to because it was very good in many ways yet felt like an incomplete movie in some ways.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/30/24

Full Review

Mekhi W

Quite possibly one of the best Journalism movies out there. Hayden Christensen perfectly plays the manipulative innocent role extremely well while Peter Sarsgaard puts on an extremely well second half performance. Shattered Glass has writing and drama that is smart, logical, and gripping enough to please even average moviegoers. The film also questions and analyzes the problems with Journalism culture and integrity, problems that still haven't dated even today. Whether you are a Journalist or not, this is a must-watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/28/24

Full Review

Josh D

The script is brilliantly written with one exception. The reason for Glass's past falsification of work is never explained. However, a terrific and wonderfully awkward performance from Hayden Christensen will distract you from this fact if you aren't looking for it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/13/23

Full Review

Jerod S

Stephen Glass was just making stuff up for his articles...and it was working until someone fell upon his story about a phony hacker conference.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/31/23

Full Review

Steve C

I want to make a wise crack about him liking sand and glass, since glass is made from sand. A missed opportunity here ... I'll just use the Padame meme: Anakin: "I fabricated that last article". Padame: "But the others you wrote were genuine". Anakin is silent. Padame: "The others were genuine, right?"

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/21/23

Full Review

Garry F

Fabulous movie. Well paced, well acted, thoroughly enjoyable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/16/23

Full Review

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Billy Ray

Director

Hayden Christensen

Stephen Glass

Peter Sarsgaard

Chuck Lane

Chloë Sevigny

Caitlin Avey

Rosario Dawson

Andie Fox

Melanie Lynskey

Amy Brand

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Shattered Glass: Official Clip - I'm Not a Criminal