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Summary: A timeless piece of eccentric south
Review: I have lived in the south all my life. Watching this movie reminded me of how beautiful and special this place is. Clint Eastwood's interpretation of John Berendt's piece of literary art was splendid in its own right. It reminded me of how rich our heritage is. The music, the superb casting (no one can deny the talent of the great Kevin Spacey) and the seemingly endless parade of characters kept me enthralled from the beginning. It's not often a film can pull at my heartstrings, teach me something about tolerance and history, reveal such beauty and amuse me at the same time. The movie so moved me that I read the book. Although somewhat different, each form was intriguing. I have just returned from Savannah. I was constantly reminded of the story of Jim Williams as I walked the squares and felt the history therein. This filmed turned attention once again to a wonderful magical place, the South.
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Summary: Midnight in the Garden of Less isnt More
Review: This movie is basically a great travelogue for fans of The Book.
It lacks the quirky whimsicality that Berendt so wonderfully wrote about. Cusack is woefully miscast as the New York writer sent to Savannah to write a party review. Fans of Kevin Spacey should love his dead on performance. His Jim Williams is perfect. Jude Law makes a breif but memeorable turn as bad boy/murder victim Billy Hansen. And of course, the Lady Chablis steals every scene she is in. If you love the book, you should see this film, mainly because practically every scene is shot exactly where it happened in reality. Savannah is a beautiful town and it holds up the best in Easstwood's rather boring adaptation. Because much of the book's subplots were left out, this would have made a great mini-series.
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Summary: Haven't read the book yet
Review: I really enjoyed this movie! It is the kind of movie that makes you want to go to the place it is set and know the characters in the film. It pulls you in. I am not easily impressed by movies, either, and seldom want to watch one again. I have yet to read the book, though, and maybe that's why I liked it more than some of the other reviewers. Usually I prefer to read the book first, and I did get the impression there was a lot left out of the movie, so now I have every intention of reading the book. This is something I never do, but Kevin Spacey, John Cusack, and Lady Chablis protrayed their characters so well I can't wait!
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Summary: An excellant story, very enjoyable
Review: Midnight in the garden, was exceptionally well done. It was a thriller with the twists that keep you wanting to know more and gives you the satisfied feeling in a classic, vivid style. The acting was outstanding and the story kept you on your toes. Clint Eastwood did a magnificent job on Directing this project in a manner that sets it apart from the other films. The film quality was great as was the sound. The images of the South as well as the culture are magnificent and vivid. Spacey and Cusack are top notch, however Kevin Spacey did one of his best performances in this film, even though he does an excellant job in all his rolls. This was well rounded and had a bit of a Hitchcock feel to it. This is a fantastic movie that should be added to any collection for repeated viewing.
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Summary: The lady Chablis and Minerva steal the show
Review: "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" is the story of writer John Kelso (John Cusack) from the big city hired to cover a famous Savannah Christmas party for "Town & Country" magazine. Though he arrived with the intentions of completing a mere literary postcard of 500 words, by the end of the night - after the party's host, an antique dealer (Kevin Spacey), has been accused of murdering an employee of his estate (Jude Law) - Kelso decides to remain in Savannah long enough to complete a book on the scene he describes to his agent as being, "like Gone with the Wind on mescaline." Interesting as the main characters are, I believe it is in researching for his book that Kelso meets the two true stars of the show: Minerva, the Vodou priestess who cautions the inquisitive writer that "there ain't no answers," and The Lady Chablis, the drag queen with a Diana Ross flair who offers to unwrap her candy for the reluctant yankee. These ladies, along with the other supporting characters, such as the eccentric who glues live bees to strings that are tied to his lapel (locals treat him with a fearful reverence, afraid he may poison the city's water supply if upset), the man employed to walk a dog that died decades ago, and the career squatter/jazz musician, are the true heart of this story. They are all dynamic and charismatic enough to make me forget that, yes, sometimes the editing is a little choppy. And Savannah comes across as an exquisitely beautiful city (this movie must've done wonders for tourism). I really love Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil! Andrew Parodi
Rating: 
Summary: A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT
Review: The book this movie was based on is such a good book! The movie, unfortunately is not even on the same level. I thought Kevin Spacey was wonderful as the eccentric, Jim Williams. However, the plot of the movie was patchy at best , leaving out details that made the story seem incomplete. Some of the details that were touched on in the movie, had no background information, so they did not make sense, if you had not read the book. I was very disappointed in the movie!
Rating: 
Summary: Good Book+Good Actors+Good Director= Bad Movie
Review: "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" was a book that was almost hypnotic in it's appeal. John Berendt wisely focused on the people, more so than the events, to craft an engrossing, magical tale. Somehow, the film lost all the charm of the book. For starters, the trial is condensed into a single trial, whereas in reality it was stretched out over several trials and years. The murder, while it was discussed throughout the book, was also not the focus of the book. In the film it becomes the focal point and the movie just seems to turn into a bad murder mystery (without too much mystery) as a result. A primarily problem: the book's charm was derived largely from the disparate lives presented. The movie only touches upon most of the different characters in a cursory manner and none of the magic and air of mystery about Savannah is translated to the screen. With all the talent tied to this project, it should have been a blockbuster. Instead, it's a mediocre film viewing experience, at best.
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Summary: ¿This place is like Gone With the Wind on mescaline¿
Review: Midnight is a great movie. I was pleasantly surprised by this movie as I am rarely a fan of actor-gone-director films. Clint Eastwood is pretty good though. Kevin Spacey and John Cusack are always at the top of their game, as they are in this picture as well. Clint Eastwood's daughter is even in this. She too, is very good. Spacey's character, James Williams, is charged with the murder of his gay lover. Cusack's character, John Kelso is a New York author who is down in Savannah Georgia to cover Mr. Williams' Christmas party, who then decided to stay and write a book about the story that revolves around the trial. The characters in this movie are great. The Lady Chablis, a drag queen and performer, is one of the funniest and vivid characters I have ever seen on film. She is wonderful and an instrumental part of the film. Sunny, Mr. Williams' lawyer is great too. He is animated and charming. This film has a great deal of that charm that is aforementioned. There is a wonderful feel to it. It is fun to watch as I have seen it probably about fifteen times now. I recommend it to anybody, especially if they like Spacey or Cusack. . . epc
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Summary: Interesting story, but just a little too long and too slow
Review: This is a true story of a reporter who went to Savannah to do a short piece for "Town and Country" magazine. However, at the Christmas party he is covering, a murder occurs and he stays on in Savannah and writes about it. The book got a lot of critical acclaim and was on the best seller list for a long time. I understand it has a tone to it that is not captured in the film, which is directed by Clint Eastwood. The way the City of Savannah was presented piqued my interest. I might even like to visit there some day. The acting in general was good. Tension between the two main characters, the reporter and the wealthy antiques dealer has just the right degree of subtlety. A drag queen named The Lady Chablis is an extremely memorable character and livens up a lot of the scenes. The story itself was interesting. In general though, at 155 minutes, the film was too long and too slow for my taste. And, even though the acting was good, there were no real surprises. It was a good effort, that almost made it.
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Summary: Dark at "Midnight"
Review: The echoes of Southern Gothic don't come much more gothic than "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," Clint Eastwood's flawed adaptation of the bestselling true crime book. While the movie only dips briefly into the genteel decadence of the upper-crust South, and the general air of Savannah, it does have its fun moments and good acting. John Kelso (John Cusack) has come to Georgia to cover the famous Christmas party of the wealthy James Williams (Kevin Spacey). As well as Williams, Kelso ends up befriending a bevy of eccentrics, including some happy-go-lucky partygoers and the Lady Chablis (played by... the Lady Chablis), a drag queen with a mischievous sense of humor. But things go wrong after the party. Williams' employee/boyfriend Billy Carl Hanson (Jude Law) is found dead after a fight with Williams -- and Williams seems like the most likely suspect. As a not-so-pleasant trial begins, Kelso sets out to unravel the mystery of what really went on that night, and what the truth behind Hanson's death is. The biggest flaw of "Midnight" is that it is way too short for the material it stems from -- several years and multiple trials are compressed into a matter of weeks, and many of the endearingly freaky people of Savannah are given short shrift. Only the Lady Chablis gets enough time -- the guy with the flies and poison, for example, is touched on but never dealt with. But as far as execution goes, much of "Midnight" is quite charming -- warm, sleepy and a little overgrown, much like the vision of Savannah it shows. Even a midnight voodoo session doesn't break the mood. And Eastwood manages to give us a charming view of the eccentricities of "Gone With the Wind on mescaline." (Exhibit A: The guy walking an invisible, deceased dog) Both Cusack and Spacey do an excellent job bringing their characters to life: Cusack always seems a little out of the current, a realistic outsider, while Spacey exudes grace, charm and a sort of apologetic pride. Jude Law, for the brief time we see him, does a good job as the redneck hellraiser. And who can forget the Lady Chablis? Chablis is pretty clearly having a wonderful time (playing herself, no less). The one cast flaw is Alison Eastwood, who doesn't seem to bother acting. While "Midnight of Good and Evil" fails to live up to its promise, it is a charming and funny look at the deep South. Well-acted but patchily adapted, this is an amusing movie if you don't expect it to stick too closely to the book.
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