“Conviction” is a prime example of what a stellar cast can bring to a familiar narrative. Going in you know that this movie is based on a true story and there’s going to be a happy ending although Pamela Gray’s script does try to heighten the tension at various times. With Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell and a strong supporting cast, this film manages to touch us and say something important in the process. “Conviction” tells the story of Betty Anne Waters, who spent 18 years trying to overturn her brother’s life sentence for murder, a murder she never believed he committed. This means that Betty Anne has to get her GED, go to college and law school and then pass the Massachusetts’ bar
Rockwell is riveting as Kenny Waters, a man who is both volatile and charismatic, a man who can charm prison guards and then, just as quickly, anger them. As usual, Swank is skillful as a woman so committed to freeing her brother that she spends a good portion of her life focused on that one goal, to the detriment of her marriage and family. And everything she’s feeling is reflected on Swank’s expressive face. Other memorable performances include Melissa Leo as a female cop with a chip on her shoulder and Juliette Lewis as a woman with loose morals whose most notable feature is a chipped front tooth. However, because the script is so predictable, you know that Betty Anne is going to overcome all obstacles in her way. You just have to keep telling yourself that “Conviction” is based on a true story. 10/25/10
2 comments:
This true story is fascinating. This young mother, Betty Anne Waters, loved her brother enough to get her degree and go to law school in order to get his release.
I thought this was a great film and I give it my highest honor. Sam Rockwell deserves at lease an oscar nom for this!!
I disagree. I found this film tedious. I had trouble rooting for anyone; Kenny was obnoxious and I never had faith that if he was to be released from prison that he'd be any kind of decent member of society. Betty Anne was so lost in her need to have her brother around that even though people were telling her that she's lost herself and given up her own life to save her brother never really impacted her, and never was resolved. I felt cheated by the characters, the story, and the lack of evolution of the main players. I also had a big issue that the only person that seemed to know anything about the law (though some of the story took place at a law school) was the white-trash character played by Juliette Lewis. Unfortunately, I left the theater feeling very unsatisfied, which was disappointing considering the cast and the premise of this true story.
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