Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, Oliver Platt, Kevin Spacey, Chris Cooper, Charles S. Dutton, Kiefer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland, Brenda Fricker, Ashley Judd, Nicky Katt, John Diehl, Kurtwood Smith, Doug Hutchinson, Anthony Heald, Octavia Spencer, Patrick McGoohan
Director: Joel Schumacher
Writer: Akiva Goldsman
Based On The Book By: John Grisham
Cinematography By: Peter Menzies Jr.
Editor: William Steinkamp
I know at the time it was released it was compared to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD since it was a white lawyer defending a black man in a racist town and he is viewed as brave for doing it in a predominately white town. The only other similarities are that both films are based on popular novels.
Now while this film is entertaining it is nowhere near the classic TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. This film is interesting in the fact that director Joel Schumacher chooses a newcomer Matthew McConaughey to be the star of the film over screen veterans and more bankable actors Woody Harrelson, Kevin Costner and Val Kilmer. Who would have fit the bill as more age-appropriate? The film became a success either way. Matthew McConaughey was cast after he had the Kiefer Sutherland role but wanted a chance at the lead and had a private screen test that was successful and got him the lead. Matthew McConaughey here is not the one we know nowhere he seems earnest free of the clichés that most of his performances are filled with now no shirtless scenes sleeveless shirts but not totally shirtless. His character is more serious the party ready and he is not the best necessarily at what he does in fact he needs help from almost all who surround him then towards the end he needs almost all of his friends must come to him to get him to believe in himself and be confident so he can be successful. It’s almost like this is a legal thriller produced by Jerry Bruckheimer it has fingerprints on it cocksure character who has it all has a setback then needs coaching into believing in himself again.
This is a legal thriller that revolves around a black man whose daughter is raped he decides to get revenge by killing the two men who did it then he is put on trial for the murders and Matthew McConaughey is his white lawyer and friend who defends him in court. While he is tempted by outside forces to quit and let more professional lawyers handle the case.
The film is an all-star extravaganza that has great performances. The film doesn’t rely on a who-done-it type of thrill since we saw him do it we know he is guilty we are just wondering if his lawyer will be good enough to get him off. Since the guilty party is made to look near saintly and justified in what he did we are made to excuse him or understand his motives. Its being in the south helps throw racial antagonism into the mix. Represented by the Klan watching the case closely and sabotaging any victory that the lawyer makes.
It surprises in many ways in between the clichés. With a simple down-home crowd-pleasing philosophy. That makes us recognize some of our own prejudices. But it is a nice popcorn film that brings out the best in director Joel Schumacher who seems to like extreme close-ups in his film He also seems to enjoy not only implying that it is hot in most scenes but extremely hot so hot that it seems no character or location has air conditioning so they all must seem like they are glazed in sweat. Though not quite a thriller as much as a drama.
These are the type of popcorn films that Joel Schumacher seems best at directing these are also the only films he seems acclaimed at. This is an entertaining film that is sure to entice and pull at your heart. It is also the second collaboration between him and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman which I think helped Joel Schumacher gain a group of movie fans who not only hated his films but I think in their hatred for screenwriter Akiva Goldsman they pulled him into it.
A Satisfying rental that is worth adding to your film library at 14.95.
GRADE: B-
Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillipe, Kathleen Quinlan, Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert, Caroline Dhavernas, Bruce Davison, Gary Cole