Tuesday Night is Film Night, this week picks on a film that we've had kicking around for a while. It's a long film, running as it does at 149 minutes, so we needed to ensure we had sufficient free time to watch it. And today we did, but what did we make of;
A Time To Kill
Last weeks film; Project X could not be any more different to this weeks movie. For a start, A Time To Kill is good! In fact I would go further than that, A Time To Kill, is an excellent film.
So let's have the synopsis, before we dissect it.
Matthew McConaughey, him of the Southern drawl, much maligned by me in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, plays Mississippi lawyer Jake Brigance, where his Southern accent is perfectly placed.
Brigance takes on the defence of Carl Lee Hailey, played fantastically by Samuel L Jackson, when Hailey is accused of the murder of two rednecks.
The problem being that Hailey did kill them, in cold blood, in revenge for the brutal kidnap and rape of his 10 year old daughter.
However, can Jake Brigance get him acquitted, claiming temporary insanity?
A Time To Kill, is based on the book of the same name, by John Grisham. It is a powerful story, culminating in a fantastic, gripping, believable courtroom scene. The drama unfolds logically, but with sufficient twists and turns to keep you on your toes. Having not read the book, I can only assume that it is a real 'page turner', as the film keeps you engrossed for all of it's two and a half hours.
McConaughey is superb, and perfectly cast. He is assisted in this case by a law student, played by the stunning Sandra Bullock. Yes, we like Sandra Bullock, again perfectly cast for this film. In fact all of the cast were perfect for the characters they played. Kevin Spacey put in a highly commendable performance as the prosecution lawyer and DA; Rufus Buckley.
Donald Sutherland played Lucien Wilbanks, the former boss and mentor of Brigance. Again perfect casting, as Sutherland got to grips with his drunken character.
The only possible mis-casting, was the character of Brigance's secretary; Ethel Twitty, played by Brenda Fricker, who found it tricky to convert her naturally Irish accent, into a convincing Southern Belle warble. On the plus side, it was lovely to see Fricker in a film, after knowing her so well from her days in Casualty.
The outcome maybe predictable, but how you get there is a fantastic journey, one that my mere words on this page could not even entertain to convey in any meaningful way. You have to see how a southern county is torn apart, by hatred, loathing and prejudice. How two sides, in more ways than one, take on the pressures caused by the wrong-doings of others. How empathy and benevolence, stand against brutality and fear. And how one should never judge a book by it's cover.
All I can suggest is, that you take the time to watch, A Time To Kill. You will not be disappointed.
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