The Fifth Estate is the latest in a long list of Hollywood films about whistleblowers. In this film, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks. Assange has always claimed that he is a whistleblower, leaking important information to the citizens of the world in order to give them a clearer view of their governments.

Anything that raises an eyebrow about government activity, like The Fifth Estate, is ripe for Hollywood. Movie tickets sell because audiences love movies about underdogs “beating the system,” so to speak. What most moviegoers do not realize, however, is that whistleblowing cases take an extraordinary amount of time to pursue. They are complicated and require the expertise of an accomplished qui tam lawyer who can explain your rights and defend your case.

What we see in two hours of the film Erin Brockovitch, constitutes months, sometimes years, of work. Matt Damon’s performance in The Informant! is funny and touching, yes – but it’s not particularly realistic. A strong whistleblower case could never be built upon the shoulders of someone so obvious.

In real life, no whistleblower case could be covered in a simple montage, either. Qui tam cases on behalf of the government are especially painstaking in their creation, as it can be difficult to retrieve the evidence one needs in order to push forward with the suit. So as Hollywood celebrates their underdog story, and as audiences cheer for the whistleblower, it is worth noting that such cases are rarely undertaken with the glibness portrayed by the actors in the films.

However, if you have knowledge of fraud against the government, you may be able to be compensated for “blowing the whistle.” Contact the skilled lawyers at Begelman & Orlow, P. C. by calling 866-627-7052 for a free consultation about your potential case.