On the morning of September 9, 2004, veteran CBS News producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) believed she had every reason to feel proud of a broadcast journalism piece well done; a piece she believed would shine light on then-President George W. Bush’s military service. By the end of the day, Mapes and the venerable CBS News anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford) would be under harsh scrutiny for that same piece. Ultimately, the Killian Documents controversy, or Rathergate, would wind up costing both Mapes and Rather their careers and reputations.