Rating: Summary: A Highly Charged Drama. Review: most people think that director Joel Schumacher and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have no talent what so ever. But given this movie it proves that they do have talent attached to the right project. In this case just like The Client he that is smart and has equal craft. It revolves around Matthew McConaughey who is a young southern attorney who fights for a black guy who shot two white men who raped his daughter. What really makes this film a winner is the knockout performances from Matthew McConaughey in is breakout role. Sandra Bullock is the legal aide who is also very good and the always great Kevin Spacey who plays the other lawyer.. What gives this film power is from the supporting cast. M. Emmett Walsh goes unbilled, Ashley Judd, Donald Sutherland and Brenda Fricker and the always great Oliver Platt lend strong performances and really keep things moving lets hope that Joel Schumacher comes out with some more quality highly charged dramas then Batman and 8mm because he shows more of a talent for these kinda of movies.
Rating: Summary: An Interesting Study of Jury Nullification Review: There's a phenomenon in the law known as "jurynullification", which means that even though a person istechnically guilty of a crime, a jury will refuse to convict a defendant if it feels the motive was proper. Basically, that's the premise of "A Time to Kill", John Grisham's first and best novel. I note that one previous reviewer (the British gentleman who claims to have studied law) wrote a rather scathing review of the movie. Apparently he feels that this sort of thing can't take place in an American courtroom. Having been an attorney for some eight years now, I can tell you that it can and does! The big screen version, directed by Joel Schumacher, is right up there with Francis Ford Coppola's direction of "The Rainmaker" as the best and most faithful adaptation of a Grisham novel into a movie. If I have any problem with this movie, it's that Sondra Bullock (who's star was on the rise at the time this movie was being made) got top billing. Anyone who's read the novel can tell you that her character is a rather minor one, and the major figure of this movie is Jake Brigance, portrayed with distinction by a relative unknown (at that time) by the name of Matthew McConaughey. Ashley Judd turns in a fine performance as his wife, and Kevin Spacey is his usual excellent self as the DA. Samuel L. Jackson was also well cast as the anguished father who avenged his daughter. Although there are some detractors who say that this movie glorifies vigilante justice, I would say that they're missing the point. The point is that we as a society have gotten to the point where we will occasionally excuse a person from otherwise criminal conduct if we agree that his motive was pure. The irony in it all is that those who committed crimes against blacks in the early days of the civil rights movement in the American South often escaped accountability by the very same means.
Rating: Summary: This film will make you think, question and even cry. Review: If you're a looking for a movie that will make you feel good all the way through then don't plan on watching this one. However, if you're yearning for a portrayal of an anguished man dealing with the ungodly abuse of his young daughter and his inspired defense attorney's gambit this is it. What Samuel L. Jackson's character did was vigilante justice. I disagree with what he did but I can understand it with my heart. I've heard that some people disliked this movie because of the vigilante aspect. I am never so narrow-minded as to dismiss excellent acting because I didn't feel comfortable with subject material. When I saw this movie with a close friend I was very suprised to see him WEEP when the closing defense was given. I might add, he wasn't the only one to cry in the theater. Sobs could be heared coming from all around me. A movie that can evoke such emotion and questioning of principals has to be a top-notch production.
Rating: Summary: A highly unsatisfactory courtroom drama Review: Any suggestion from the reviewers below, that this film provides inspiring justice is false. The message that A Time to Kill sends out is that vigilante action if fine, as long as it is done by blacks and not whites, as McConaughey's mawkish final speeches shows. I'm NOT a racist, but from my own studies of law at school and indeed from the dialogue in the film, the Jackson character was guilty of manslaughter at the very least as he was not insane. The rest is wash of stereotypes and VERY thin, very predictable plotting that is dragged out far too long. The acting is the best thing it, with , McConaughey, Spacey and Bullock mking the most of their stereotyped characters. McConaughey: young idealistic lawyer, Spacey: snaky D.A. with political ambitions and Donald Sutherland is wasted as a grizzled veteran lawyer who does absolutely nothing. An overrated movie.
Rating: Summary: The plot of the movie was too far afield. Review: There were a lot of things about this movie that I disagreed with. (1) It veered from the storyline of the book. I understand that most of the things in the book could not be put on video but that does not mean that it could have took a much closer line to the book.
Rating: Summary: BRAVO Review: MY goodness! What a powerful film. The first court scene where (Samuel) bluts out how he feels about the men killing his daughter and the closing court room scene are the most powerful court scenes I have ever seen in a movie. This film is worth watchind just for those two alone! This is a strong movie....I would recommend it for the strong at heart. Bravo to (Samuel Jackson) I have always respected him as an actor and he simple outdid himself in this role.
Rating: Summary: I loved this movie Review: A Time To Kill was one of the best movies I have ever watched. I was moved by Matthew McConaughey's performance as a tough advocate, yet caring young man. I would recommend this movie to anyone.
Rating: Summary: A pathetic portrayal of life in the South. Review: Sometimes I wonder if Hollywood directors live in a bubble. Why is it that they can't realize that the South has had air-conditioning just like the rest of the nation for years now? Even though this movie is set in the 1960's, the South did have air-conditioning then. The sweat on Ashley Judd and Matthew McConaughey was ridiculous. The only reason that this movie should not get one star is that they actually give Samuel Jackson a brain. Most of the time you see blacks in the South portrayed as ingorant fools in movies when they are really just as smart as all of the film-makers in Hollywood combined. Sandra Bullock was a pathetic choice for Roark. Ole Miss law students do not act like she did in the movie. She should have done a little bit of research before she jumped in on this one. Her accent, and McConaughey's, were both pathetic. The people in Mississippi are not a bunch of hicks like this movie would make you think. John Grisham was disappointed in what they did to his book.
Rating: Summary: I loved this movie. Review: I have seen A Time To Kill 4 times and it keeps getting better. Matthew McConaughey does a wonderful job as Jake Brigance. Sandra Bullock is equally good as his law clerk. The chemistry between the two of them is incredible. My only complaint is Ashley Judd as Carla Brigance. Her performance left me cold. Jake's summation at the end of the trial moved me to tears. It was an awesome movie with a powerful message.
Rating: Summary: A Movie That Has All the Emotions Review: I wanted to see A Time To Kill for a long time. I got that chance. A Time To Kill is when a man has to take matters into his own hands to do justice by his child. A Time To Kill is a lawyer who wants to get his client off by winning, but also putting his shoes in someone elses. The real victim A Time To Kill is about people seeing true meaning of black and white. Opening up there eyes searching for the truth. When you watch the movie it will ake you think about all the elemnts in the world today.
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