Silkwood (1983)

Silkwood is a biographical film about the nuclear industry whistle blower Karen Silkwood, starring Meryl Streep in the title role. Silkwood is working at a nuclear plant and becomes involves in the union and an activist when she starts to get suspicious about safety at the plant and witnesses the brutal de-contamination of a colleague.

Ultimately Silkwood dies in mysterious cirumstances, firstly she is somehow contaminated with plutonium, her life thrown upside down and then dies in a road accident - the implication however being that it wasn't an accident. Though considering how much her body was being contaminated with plutonium she was sadly probably doomed anyway.

Supported by Kurt Russell and Cher this is a hard hitting and often harrowing film. One of the scariest films you'll see, with savage de-comtamination scenes, the ability of "Them" to destroy a person and the ever present and invisible menace of plutonium hanging over everyone. The courage of Silkwood in the face of such adversity and against the power of big business and the government will also humble you.