Conviction (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott:Tonight I am reviewing Conviction
, about a sister’s struggle to free her brother from a murder conviction. The movie stars Hilary Swank as the sister Betty Anne Waters, and Sam Rockwell as the convicted brother Kenny “Muddy” Waters.
The story, based on true events, starts back in 1983. Kenny and younger sister Betty Anne grow up poor in low income Ayers, Massachusetts. Whenever there is trouble anywhere in town, good old Kenny gets picked up for it. When a gruesome murder takes place just out of town, it doesn’t take long for them to come knocking on Kenny’s door.
The trial is fast and the verdict is guilty, life in prison without the possibility of parole. Betty Anne tells him she knows he is innocent and that she will get him out.
At first she tries using regular lawyers, but that doesn’t work. Her only chance is to become a lawyer herself.
Swank is great as Betty Anne. Her growth throughout the movie makes sense, her character doesn’t instantly become some super hotshot lawyer. You really feel for how hard it is for her to go through all of the education necessary. The fact that she doesn’t even have a GED when she makes the decision to become a lawyer is remarkable.
The character I liked best was Rockwell’s Kenny. Each time you see him he is a little more down than the time before. The years really seem to weigh on him. Each set back takes a little more life away and each victory is celebrated, but all are only temporary.
Rounding out the cast are Betty Anne’s sons Ben (Owen Campbell) and Richard (Conor Donovan). Both lose an uncle they never knew and then a mom they want to know. Her dedication to her brother cost her a husband and her kids. Peter Gallagher was great as famed attorney Barry Scheck and the humor is provided by her best friend Abra Rice (Minnie Driver).
You don’t see a lot of how Betty Anne lives or lived during the time she is struggling through school. In fact, the only outside interest or friend she seems to have is Rice. Lucky for us, Rice helps show a more human side to Betty Anne.
Gallagher as Scheck was great. He wasn’t in it for long, but he really made you feel like he was a top notch lawyer. Scheck’s group The Innocence Project is crucial in Betty Anne’s goal to get her brother out and it was nice to see that confidence in him.
Directed by Tony Goldwyn (the bad best friend in Ghost), the movie flowed well throughout. It really showed you how long the odds really are for someone to get a second chance.
Writer Pamela Gray hasn’t done a lot of movies, but she did write a Star Trek: The Next Generation tv script Violations, so I have to give her props!
How did I rate this?
I liked it. It wasn’t the best movie of its kind that I’ve seen, but it was good. I give it a 3.5 overall and a 3 for courtroom drama.
It really makes you wonder about our justice system. Justice is blind, but sometimes Justice can have too much pride.
