Profile

Based on a journalist's undercover examination of Islamic State recruiters, "Profile" is one of the most innovative, well-acted, and stressful films of the year to date. Amy Whittaker (Valene Kane), a British investigative journalist, is writing on the topic of European women being lured into joining the Islamic State. She creates a phony Facebook page under the name "Melody Nelson," a 19-year-old new Muslim convert, and posts a terrorist video. He makes startlingly quick contact with her.

As the employer, Abu Bilel Al-Britani (by Shazad Latif), insists on teleconferencing with her and probes into her past through hundreds of daily sessions. As the borders between personal and professional blur, a game of deceit with life-or-death stakes ensues.

Timur Bekmambetov, director and co-writer of the "Night Watch" series, employs the "screen life format" for this movie. As in "Searching" and "Unfriended," which he also produced, we only see the event unfold on Amy's computer screen. Amy has in-character Skype conversations with Bilel while receiving calls and alerts from friends, coworkers, and her boyfriend, and hence, increasing her stress even further. Profile's unforgettable depiction of emotional trauma makes it one of the best journalism movies thus far.

Year of Release: 2018

Stars: Valene Kane, Shazad Latif

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%