Knightley shines... in a performance that balances conviction and soul baring, and is all the more genuine for its lack of showiness.

Official Secrets celebrates the courage of a government employee who attempted to prevent the invasion at considerable risk to herself and to those she loved.

The script, based on a book by Marcia and Thomas Mitchell, keeps layering in complexity, refusing to go dumb. And Knightley's performance gets steelier as she struggles to overcome her fears

…Official Secrets may be raking over material that is cold potatoes now, but as a look at what the personal consequences might be for a whistle-blower, it’s prescient enough…