Dark Waters explores the real-life 1990s case where a major corporation was suspected of dumping chemical waste
A film about a real-life corporate conspiracy, which was dubbed ‘gripping’ by critics, is now available to stream on Netflix.
Dark Waters, which was originally released in 2019, follows the story of Robert Bilott (played by Mark Ruffalo), a lawyer who specialises in environmental cases. Robert comes across the case of a farmer in West Virginia who has seen 190 of his cows die in suspicious circumstances, with the dairy cattle showing strange signs such as bloated organs and blackened teeth.
As in the real life case, Robert and the farmer discover the cause may be down to the chemical manufacturing corporation DuPont, who use a chemical called PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) to make Teflon, commonly used in non-stick pans.
Robert suspects DuPont of dumping several tonnes of chemicals uphill from the farm, causing damage not just to the farmland, but potentially posing a danger to the local town as well, as PFOA has been linked to cancers and other illnesses.
However, taking on a big corporation is not easy for Robert, and the movie follows his struggle over the years to get DuPont to admit to the crime, as well as getting compensation for its victims.
Robert faces many twists and turns along the route, with the film showing the impact his quest had on his life, straining his marriage and finances as he sought justice.
The movie had a real-life impact, with DuPont’s share price dropping soon after its release. The company issued a statement saying their legal team were looking at the film.
PFOA is no longer used in the manufacture of Teflon pans and hasn’t been used by the brand since 2013.
The movie had a limited cinema release when it first came out, but soon became the number one watched film on Netflix Canada. It was nominated for a wide variety of awards, and went on to win the Best Feature Film prize at the 2020 Environmental Media Awards.
Joining Mark Ruffalo on the cast are Anne Hathaway, who plays Sarah Barlage Bilott, Robert’s wife. Other recognisable faces in the cast include Tim Robbins, Bill Camp, and Bill Pullman.
The film holds mostly positive reviews, with critic Wenlei Ma calling it “as gripping as it is terrifying”, while Hannah Strong said: “This one stays with you, tightly-coiled and quietly horrifying.”