A Time to Kill (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Having sparked a rebirth of the Klu Klux Klan, a young, skilled, but inexperienced lawyer takes the toughest case of his life by defending a black man accused of murdering the 2 men who raped his 10 yr. old daughter in 'A Time to Kill', a John Grisham novel adaptation; directed by Joel Schumacher. The story begins with the brutal, difficult-to-watch raping of Carl Lee's (Samuel L. Jackson) daughter. The rapers: 2 racist rednecks. Hell bent on carnal revenge, Carl Lee takes the law into his own hands by shooting down the 2 slime balls in cold blood in front of dozens of prying eyes in the Canton, Mississippi courthouse. Along with killing these rednecks, he also seriously injures a local deputy in the process (Chris Cooper). Now, Carl Lee is arrested & must face a trial -- sucks for him.
For his attorney, he chooses a struggling local white lawyer, handsome hotshot Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey). Comprising a team of Harry Rex Vonner (Oliver Platt), a sleazy divorce specialist, Lucien Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland), his old mentor, & Ellen Roarke (Sandra Bullock), an overeager law student ... Jake must face a formidable foe in local District Attorney, Rufus Buckely (Kevin Spacey). By spending more time on the case, he's also spending more time with the pretty Ellen (and less time with his kids & wife, played by Ashley Judd). Tensions rise throughout the county. NAACP marches begin, the media starts spinning their webs, riots break out; and when the KKK become involved (planting burning crosses on Jake's lawn, gunshots, bombs), Jake realizes that his own life, & the lives of those around him (including his kids & wife, played by Ashley Judd) are in grave danger. Can he run the risk of following through with defending Carl Lee any further? It all culminates in a stirring courtroom battle where careless revenge may or may not result in ultimate justice.
'A Time to Kill' is not perfect. But it's a difficult movie to criticize. The basic ingredients of the plot make for a compelling narrative anyway. I mean, think about the story for a moment; how strong it is. What would you do if you were Carl Lee? Could you blame him for acting so impulsively? Could you sit back & watch the Southern courts give the 2 rednecks a minimal sentencing? Was Carl Lee's struggle for justice worth it all? Could he ever get a fair trial with a white jury? Though this is not an art film, I applaud Schumacher for tackling a 'big' movie that actually has something to say about America's ethics/social issues.
Sandra Bullock is as appealing as ever. I loved Ellen; a strong, yet vulnerable woman. And there's a terrifying scene involving her late in the game that I won't soon forget. Matthew McConaughey really pulls off the lawyer role; mixing raw talent with intensity ... but also self-doubt. And his chemistry with Bullock is palpable. Samuel L. Jackson is just excellent as the loving father who's outraged that the color of his skin potentially prevents him from justice. And the supporting cast is great, as well (Ashley Judd, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Tonea Stewart, Charles S. Dutton, M. Emmett Walsh, & Brenda Fricker - in a small, but powerful role as Jake's secretary). 'A Time to Kill' may be lengthy (145 minutes), a bit ambitious (characters/racial themes), & incident-filled. But it's also a well-directed, brilliantly acted, entertaining, & suspenseful crime drama. There are plot twists near the end, but they're kept to an acceptable & reasonable number. Just like Grisham's other film versions of his novels (The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client), I found myself mightily invested in the story & it's characters.
For his attorney, he chooses a struggling local white lawyer, handsome hotshot Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey). Comprising a team of Harry Rex Vonner (Oliver Platt), a sleazy divorce specialist, Lucien Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland), his old mentor, & Ellen Roarke (Sandra Bullock), an overeager law student ... Jake must face a formidable foe in local District Attorney, Rufus Buckely (Kevin Spacey). By spending more time on the case, he's also spending more time with the pretty Ellen (and less time with his kids & wife, played by Ashley Judd). Tensions rise throughout the county. NAACP marches begin, the media starts spinning their webs, riots break out; and when the KKK become involved (planting burning crosses on Jake's lawn, gunshots, bombs), Jake realizes that his own life, & the lives of those around him (including his kids & wife, played by Ashley Judd) are in grave danger. Can he run the risk of following through with defending Carl Lee any further? It all culminates in a stirring courtroom battle where careless revenge may or may not result in ultimate justice.
'A Time to Kill' is not perfect. But it's a difficult movie to criticize. The basic ingredients of the plot make for a compelling narrative anyway. I mean, think about the story for a moment; how strong it is. What would you do if you were Carl Lee? Could you blame him for acting so impulsively? Could you sit back & watch the Southern courts give the 2 rednecks a minimal sentencing? Was Carl Lee's struggle for justice worth it all? Could he ever get a fair trial with a white jury? Though this is not an art film, I applaud Schumacher for tackling a 'big' movie that actually has something to say about America's ethics/social issues.
Sandra Bullock is as appealing as ever. I loved Ellen; a strong, yet vulnerable woman. And there's a terrifying scene involving her late in the game that I won't soon forget. Matthew McConaughey really pulls off the lawyer role; mixing raw talent with intensity ... but also self-doubt. And his chemistry with Bullock is palpable. Samuel L. Jackson is just excellent as the loving father who's outraged that the color of his skin potentially prevents him from justice. And the supporting cast is great, as well (Ashley Judd, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Tonea Stewart, Charles S. Dutton, M. Emmett Walsh, & Brenda Fricker - in a small, but powerful role as Jake's secretary). 'A Time to Kill' may be lengthy (145 minutes), a bit ambitious (characters/racial themes), & incident-filled. But it's also a well-directed, brilliantly acted, entertaining, & suspenseful crime drama. There are plot twists near the end, but they're kept to an acceptable & reasonable number. Just like Grisham's other film versions of his novels (The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client), I found myself mightily invested in the story & it's characters.