A “compelling” documentary hailed by one fan as a “masterpiece” is streaming now in the UK. Cover Up focuses on the career of iconic investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, who won acclaim various high-profile stories over six decades in print.

Hersh is well known for his scoop about the My Lai massacre carried out by US troops during the Vietnam War and coverage of the Abu Ghraib torture scandal that erupted during the Iraq War. The Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, who wrote for the New Yorker and The New York Times, is a reluctant and combative interviewee. Directors Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus lay bare moments when Hersh even looks set to pull out of the project altogether, making for a fascinating and layered watch.

The film hit American cinemas in a limited theatrical release in December before being added to Netflix shortly after.

The film has a superb 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, reflecting the percentage of approved critics who have given it a positive review.

It’s also got a decent score among general audiences (76%).

One fan wrote: “Seymour Hersh was a behind the scenes hero during my late teens and early twenties. He taught his readers to be skeptical of knee-jerk, blame the victims (or reporters) when they question men in authority.

“It was moving to hear him speak in first person about his experiences as a writer about the shame we experienced and the pain Americans inflicted on innocent people across the world.”

A second called it the “best documentary of the year, the pure masterpiece, absolute must see !!!”.

A third added: “Excellent insights into how this important reporter works. Very compelling.”

Some suggested it was timely watch given the fierce political divides in the US at the moment, with one writing: “Fantastic reminder to either side of today’s media what journalism is supposed to be.”

One person who praised the film on IMDb wrote: “Seeing all of the events and stories that have emerged over decades creates a context for many recent and ongoing events in the U. S.

“We can only hope that there are more brave people willing to speak up and take actions to bring truth to light. This is the perfect time for this documentary to be released. I hope it reaches many, many people.”

Cover-Up is streaming now on Netflix.