Glossary

In Memento (2000), Leonard’s fractured perception and the film’s nonlinear structure combine to determine what the viewer knows and when it becomes knowable.

In Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Danny uses video evidence and Terry Benedict’s own words to reveal what kind of man Tess has trusted.

In Contact (1997), Ellie Arroway’s account rests on whether her credibility is enough to warrant belief without evidence.

In The Matrix (1999), Neo’s choice hinges on an unstated belief that truth and freedom are preferable to comfort and illusion.

In Jaws (1975), officials treat the summer tourist economy as essential, dismissing warnings about the shark as threats to stability.

In A Few Good Men (1992), the case turns on whether a Marine’s death was accidental, unauthorized, or the direct result of an order.

In All the President’s Men (1976), Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein are under pressure to verify information from an anonymous source before reporting on the Watergate break-in.