Saw a screening of this film last night, which was followed by a Q&A with the real Betty Anne Waters and Juliette Lewis. Director Tony Goldwyn (yes, the bad guy from "Ghost") was supposed to be there, but he could not get a flight to Dallas in time. Quick moral, kids: when you get screening passes to a yet-to-be-released film, and it says "this is purposely overbooked on purpose," BELIEVE THEM. We were there about 2 1/2 hours early, and still would up on the first row of the theater, due to representatives from the USA Film Festival and Inoocence Project: Dallas sponsoring. Was fully prepared for that, but some people in the line with us were not. Not complaining, just teaching here.
Anyway, in 1983, Kenny Waters (Sam Rockwell), who was a "problem child" in a house of 9 children growing up and spent a lot of time getting into trouble, is sentance to life in prison for the murder of a local woman. His sister, Betty Anne (Hillary Swank), avows his innocence and embarks on a journey to become an attorney to represent him and prove what she believes to be the truth. It is a process that takes us (and her) through almost two decades of her life that entails loss, gain, frustration, hope, pain, tears, and even asks the audience how far they would go to fight in someone (or something) they believe in.
I went into this screening with a bit of apprehension, as I have determined that Swank is tending to pick projects that can be awards bait. (Do something completely off of the beaten path, Hill. Just get me a pallet cleanser here.) What I was pleased to find was that there were at least three other people that I felt outperformed her here. First off, Rockwell is purely RIVETING in his role as a man who could be falsely accused of a crime putting all of his faith in his sister, whom he has protected their entire lives. If anybody scores an Oscar nod here, it's him. Also, Minnie Driver (playing Abra Rice, the woman who would become Waters' best friend and biggest supporter, and who can still get it DONE) once again makes you forget that she is European, delivering a Massachusetts accent worthy of a Ben Affleck film, and brings a performance that has to get recognized by her peers and the press. Recognition also has to go to the kids playing the younger versions of Kenny and Betty Anne (Bailee Madison and Tobias Campbell), who will rip your heart out of your chest if you let them.
Goldwyn's direction (the first feature he has directed since the Greg Kinnear/Ashley Judd vehicle "Someone Like You" in 2001... he's done quite a bit of television directing since) here really gives the viewer the feeling of being there with the characters for the desired effect when necessary, but also knows when to pull back and let the story tell itself. Pamela Gray (most known for writing "Music Of The Heart" and "A Walk On The Moon") tells the story and (by Waters' own admission) kept it very faithful, with little "artistic license". When Waters told the audience that this movie was literally 9 years in the making, it was apparent in the final project.
So, on the standard scale of 1 to 10, I will give "Conviction" a 9, which means, "Almost there, holmes, but I can't be bought off that easy. But go see it when you can."
Until next time, when I may even review a movie I see on U-Verse or Blu-Ray, or even another theatrical release...
BB
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