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| Movie Review: Conviction Alternate Title: I Am My Brother's Keeper
Story: Sibling rivalry is the
stuff of great drama. Devoted sibling relationships usually fall into
the syrupy realm of the Lifetime or Hallmark TV channels. So does this
true life story about a dedicated sister who spends 20 years of her
young life trying to get her brother out of prison for a murder he did
not commit pass muster? It did for me. Betty Ann Waters, after her brother's appeal
goes down the tubes, decides to get her GED, get her Bachelor's degree,
go to law school and then get her brother out of prison. If this were
not a true story I would not have bought it. However, I was touched
by the story and the across the board acting. The film was ably directed
by Tony Goldwyn and written by Pamela Gray.
I tend to like films about social injustice and
triumph over adversity. That good old 'can do' spirit, when handled
well makes for a fine movie going experience. Even though it is somewhat
formulaic, it is two hours that will touch your heart. You might even
want to call your sibling after watching the film. I did. Check out the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Y7z-cI7j8 Acting: Nobody does the underclass heroine better
than Hilary Swank. She knocks another one out of the
park in her performance as Betty Anne Waters. Sam Rockwell
as Kenny Waters was also terrific. Minnie Driver as
good friend Abra Rice looks fabulous and had all of the best lines.
One of my favorites, Melissa Leo as bad cop Nancy Taylor was, as always,
good. It has been a long time since we have seen Juliette Lewis
as Roseanna Perry and she was missed. Peter Gallagher as
Barry Scheck was fine as was the rest of the supporting cast including:
Ari Graynor (Mandy Marsh), Loren Dean
(Rick), Conor Donovan (Richard), Owen Campbell
(Ben), Tobias Campbell (Young Kenny), Bailee
Madison (Young Betty Anne), Clea DuVall (Brenda
Marsh), Karen Young (Elizabeth Waters), Talia
Balsam (Prosecuting Attorney) and John Pyper-Ferguson
(Aidan).
Trivia: Sadly, Kenny Waters passed
away just six months after his release. He fractured his skull when
he fell from a 15-foot wall while taking a shortcut to his brother's
house after a dinner with his mother. He was 47 years old and had spent
more than a third of his life in prison for a crime he didn't’t
commit. Read all about the case of Kenny Waters and
the The Innocence Project here. http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/Kenny_Waters.php
The New York Times had a follow up article on Betty
Ann Waters. Read it here. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/13/movies/13waitress.html
Martha Coakley, was the district attorney in 2001 when
the real-life story of Kenneth Waters was playing out. She is not depicted
well in the film. She, as you know, ran an abysmal campaign and lost
Ted Kennedy's Senate seat to Scott Brown.
Predilection: I like true stories brought to the
big screen.
Critters: A little dog.
Food: Mac and Cheese, Peas, Carrots.
Sex Spectrum: None
Blatant Product Placement: Bushmill
Soundtrack: Time appropriate.
Opening Titles: All titles are at the end.
Theater Audience: About 50 other fans.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: I paid attention throughout.
Predictability Level: High
Tissue Usage: I welled up a few times.
Oscar Worthy: There might be a supporting nod somewhere.
Big Screen or Rental: G for the big screen
Length: Under two hours
LOBO HOWLS: 7.5
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