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High Crimes

High Crimes

List Price: $14.98
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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Two and one half stars
Review: It has its moments but it is only a sometimes exciting thriller that has an obvious ending. In addition, it is too long. Judd offers a decent performance but the film just suffers from poor editing and a screenplay that is just silly at times.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Loved the casting and a couple of lines
Review: This was just movie candy. I wouldn't watch it again. Military cover ups are a favorite topic of mine, but this was formula scripting. Loved Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman and (new to me) Amanda Peete. So, if there is nothing great to rent, try it. But it isn't a classic. :)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: High Crimes- A Great Courtroom Drama
Review: High Crimes, was an admirable film with great performances from Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Jim Caviziel, Adam Scott and even Amanda Peet. Whoa! Ashley Judd and Amanda Peet are luscious and quite attractive, oh sorry getting off subject. Well anyway, Ashley Judd plays Claire Kubik and she is married to Tom Kubik played by Jim Caviziel. Ashley Judd plays a top lawyer, who wins many cases and is quite the charmer. Soon, her husband gets arrested and taken into custody for war crimes which he commited 15 years ago in Las Salinas, a small village in El Salvador. So, Judd gets appointed a young attorney who is a novice played by Adam Scott. Since, he is not very experienced she gets someone who has one case against the top lawyers in the military. She appoints attorney Charlie Grimes, played by Morgan Freeman. Soon, a battle rises between them and Judd gets attacked due to an offer she declined. Grimes investigats from here we get an interesting plot, and a surpries twist or supposedly surprising, the twisted ending is a bit to obvious qutie early in the movie. A good plot, good characters and some good action make this film a guilty pleasure. High Crimes is rated PG-13 for Violence, Sexual Content and Language, so it's not the worst choice for preteens, but it does deal with situtaions of loss. Having a child watch this movie with an adult wouldn't hurt or be a bad idea. High Crimes, available to own on Video and DVD August 27, 2002. See it today!
Buy it or atleast rent it.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The 'suprise' ending doesnt help this formulaic film
Review: Didja ever see one of those movies where the guy a woman marries isn't REALLY the guy he seems? You probably did, because this is one of thousands of movies that follows the same tired Hollywood formula.
This cliche-filled series of plot twists pits Ashley Judd as a trendy yuppie lawyer right out of central casting and James Caviezel as her oh-so-wholesome and sensitive carpenter husband (he is too well-groomed to be a carpenter, IMHO) against a military court who claims that James Caviezel once served in the military and was involved in a brutal crime against civilans in Central America.
So Judd goes on her mission to prove her husband's innocence, and Morgan Freeman and Adam Scott desperately try to save this movie from being the Hallmark thriller of the week.
But hey, there are coverups and military power struggles (it's the government, remember?) and a glimpse into Freeman's battles with his own private demons. There are also many suspenseful moments as plot filler, and yeah, did I mention a suprise ending?
If you want to watch a more fufilling thriller, check out "Memento."

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Neat Thriller With Great Cast!
Review: The primary reason to see this film is the terrific acting by an ensemble cast composed of Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Jim Cavieze, and Amanda Peet. We are treated to a snapshot view of Ashley and Jim living a outrageously happy life together until suddenly and inexplicably it is shattered by his arrest for crimes committed years ago as a special forces operative in Central America under a different name, from which it appears he had been fleeing for decades. What evolves is another standard jostling of criminal minds, both offenders and lawyers, as well as those of darker forces who seem determined to railroad Jim character for reasons not immediately apparent.

Yet Ashley's character is hardly defeated. Given the fact she happens to be a skilled defense lawyer, she enlists the support of Morgan Freeman, a man once known for his legal expertise but now sidelined by bouts with the bottle. He becomes the lynchpin in the defense efforts to unravel the mystery behind the scenes in order to save Ashley's husband from conviction. It is entertaining to watch freeman and Judd play off each other, in this, their second outing together ("Kiss The Girls"). Each is a consummate dramatic actor in his or her own right, and the way they use each other to lend credence and gravity to a scene is marvelous to watch.

Cavieze is also quite good, a convincing straight man who lies so well even the audience cannot tell when he is doing so. The supporting cast is also quite good, and one finds the time flying by, always an indication that the script and performances are working well. The plot is too traditional, and fairly predictable at that, yet the characters woven by the cast catch one up into the fantasy nonetheless, and what results is an altogether enjoyable and entertaining movie experience. Enjoy!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very Entertaining with a Wicked Twist of an Ending!
Review: When High Crimes came out in the movie theatres I did not want to see it at all and I decided that I would not go see it and mabey give it a shot when it comes to DVD.When I was browsing through all the movies at the video store I saw High Crimes not knowing it was out and decided to watch it.I started watching it not really expecting anything out of it and a boring two hours but boy was I wrong.I really liked it and the movie was very entertaining.I never really liked Morgan Freeman but I really thought he was good in this movie.I loved how they combined drama,suspense,and to make it even better they stuck in a joke here and there to losen the mood.It made the movie worth watching and I will buy the DVD soon.

The movie's ending was very unexpected because once you think that the movie is going to end it doesn't and they continue going with the idea.Ashley Judd's acting was perfect for her role as a desprete wife trying to prove that her husband is innocent.Morgan Freeman was good playing a lawyer who was a recent alcoholic.

The plot was about a couple who was married.Tom Kubrek(Jim Casedriel)and Claire Kubrek(Ashley Judd)are trying to have a baby and there whole life is perfect untill one night they go for a walk and the FBI show up.They saw that Tom's name is really a man named Ron who was in the milatary years ago where his team says he shot 9 people somewhere in Spain.Ron tries to prove that he is innocent and Claire goes on his side.She and anthor lawyer Charlie(Morgan Freeman)defend Ron.But what is that Spanish guy doing who is always around Claire and pulled a guy on her?

The movie also has great acting from Amanda Peet who is from The Whole Nine Yards,and Saving Silverman.So even if you are not expecting anything out of High Crimes see it anyway because like me...you might get unexpected results.It is not hard to understand like I thought it would be and doesn't have any flaws aside from a little slow middle.

ENJOY!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Suspenseful drama
Review: Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd team up as two attorneys who are defending Judd's husband from charges brought against him while he was in the Marines. He is accused of shooting innocent civilians in El Salvador, but he claims that the murders were actually committed by another Marine with the blessing of a prominent general. Judd decides to defend her husband because his military attorney is young and inexperienced, but she is not familiar with military law, so she asks the more experienced Freeman to help her. He once was a top-notch attorney who admits he was a thorn in the side of the military, but he has slipped into a lazy, alcoholic lifestyle. As they work together, the events which happened 13 years ago begin to unravel. There are red herrings along the way and it's often hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys, but Freeman and Judd make it an enjoyable ride.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: In the tradition of "A Few Good Men"...
Review: Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman who last starred together in "Kiss The Girls" reunite in this slick action/drama movie. Judd plays a lawyer who finds out that her husband Jim Caviziel (Frequencey) is arrested for a crime that he did while serving in the military. Since Judd is not too familiar w/ Military Law she seeks the expertise help from Freeman. A lot of red tape both Judd and Freeman must endure thru. The ending has a suprise twist that blew me away.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Chilling Thriller
Review: High-powered defense attorney, Claire Kubik, is the model of success, a blend of wit, charm, intelligence and sexy looks. She's living the perfect life-until the day FBI agents trap her and her husband out on the street right before Christmas. Within seconds, a flash-bang goes off and Claire finds herself facedown in the street, watching helplessly as her husband Tom is handcuffed and taken into custody at gunpoint. By the next morning, Claire learns that the FBI took Tom in because they claimed he was Ron Chapman. Chapman is wanted for military desertion and for murdering civilians in a Special Forces operation in El Salvador. Since Tom/Chapman is a soldier, his fate has to be determined in a military court of law. Out of her depth for the moment, unsatisfied with the young lieutenant that has been assigned to defend her husband, Claire looks for another lawyer who has experience dealing with military courts. She finds Charlie Grimes, a down-and-out recovering alcoholic who has been booted out of the Marines himself for conduct unbecoming an officer (he slept with his superior's wife). Together, Claire and Charlie pursue the tangled and twisted trail of secrets while up against a literal army of men who will only stop short of killing them. One secret leads to another, and soon the incident that prompted Tom's arrest is much larger, capable of bringing down a military general and causing more murders.

Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman acted together in KISS THE GIRLS, the first Alex Cross novel by best-selling author James Patterson to be filmed. Judd has also starred in DEVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD, WHERE THE HEART IS, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, DOUBLE JEOPADY, and is slated to star in CATWOMAN, a movie about the costumed superhero. Freeman has starred in THE SUM OF ALL FEARS, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, ALONG CAME A SPIDER, DEEP IMPACT, HARD RAIN, and CHAIN REACTION. The director, Carl Franklin, has directed ONE FALSE MOVE, NOWHERE TO RUN, and DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS.

Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman are excellent in their craft and those skills come to the forefront in HIGH CRIMES. Judd stars as a very successful attorney with a corner office in a big firm and comes across dynamically in that role. She knows how to stage a power play and how to be the debutante at a large social event. At the other end of the spectrum, she also knows how to play the victim (after she's attacked by masked invaders) and the frightened wife (when she first learns of her husband's arrest, and again when she realizes that she really doesn't know her husband well). Freeman plays seedy recovering alcoholic attorney Charlie Grimes to a tee, then smoothly steps into the role of an experienced trial attorney facing the double-barreled threat of the military court. The action in the movies comes across smartly paced, moving through the progression of things getting worse and worse, while at the same time the twists and turns the plot takes leaves the watcher uncertain who to trust and exactly how much that person can be trusted. Both Freeman and Judd's characters have important driving missions to accomplish, but Judd manages to steal the show several times, due in part to the script and in part because she is a fantastic actress. All of the plot points are developed, and every character in the film is a worthwhile investment for the watcher. Everyone is under the microscope in this thriller, and that's exactly how it should be. The additional materials included on the DVD include an interview with the author of the book, HIGH CRIMES, on which the movie was based that is a very good piece, showing the difference between the movie and the book. An interesting note is that Joseph Finder also had a cameo in the movie-with his head shaved. Another featurette covers the differences between civilian and military courts that is an excellent presentation.

As good as this movie was, there were a couple issues that got glossed over. After fourteen years passed, why would the Marines be so concerned over Chapman's story that they would break even more laws by intimidating and then trying to kill Claire Kubik? Also, not all of the movie's villains get the comeuppance they so richly deserved. At the finale, though it seems impossible, Freeman and Judd should have been together to face the end together.

Fans of Judd's and Freeman's work on KISS THE GIRLS will want to add this gem of a thriller movie to their personal collection. People who want a relatively bloodless edge-of-the-seat thriller with a rock-solid mystery will want to see this one. Definitely worth an evening's entertainment for legal film fans or for a couple wanting a his-and-her movie that delivers on both ends.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great performances
Review: What makes this a worthwhile movie are the performances by Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman. Both are actors who are so good in everything they do that they don't seem to be acting but to be living out their roles. Judd is especially good this time out as a clever attorney who winds up defending her husband in a military trial, with the able Freeman (why hasn't this man won an academy award for at least one of his splendid performances?) as co-counsel. Freeman plays a recovering alcoholic whose law practise has been allowed to slide downhill to the point where his primariy client is a hooker. Given the actor's public acknowledgement of his own issues with substance abuse, his performance is right on the money--not too big but just enough to make the viewer feel a terrible anxiety when his sobriety is at stake.

While the script isn't particularly inspired, the cast more than compensates by offering solid performances across the board. And a nice little twist ending rounds things off well--although the post script scene detracts from what has gone before, leaving one with the feeling that they've just watched the premiere of what's going to be a one-hour TV series.

Definitely worth seeing.


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