Minamata (2020) review

Burned out photographer W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) - who, in his earlier years, covered combat with Japan during World War II - gets asked by translator Aileen (Minami) to visit the city of Minamata to record the people there affected by mercury poisoning as a result of the chemical company Chisso dumping toxic waste into the water.  There's a good message in there about corporate responsibility and the importance of photojournalism to "tell the truth" - which is important to reiterate after so many years of some loon barking about "fake news" - but as a biopic it covers familiar territory (drunk artist finds redemption in One Last Important Project while his Boss barks at him on the phone to hurry up) and becomes too overwrought ("feel the photographs") when restraint would have been the preferred route.  I personally wonder if Depp identified with Smith's difficult recluse considering what he's been going through in his own life (specifically his tempestuous relationship with Amber Heard), or maybe he was just drawn to the project so he could smoke in every scene.