Un coupable idéal (2001)

Director:

Jean-Xavier de Lestrade

Release Date:

26 February 2003 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Documentary

Plot:

Oscar-winning documentary that documents a murder trial in which a 15-year-old African-American is wrongfully accused of a 2000 murder in Jacksonville, Florida.

Plot Keywords:

Teen | African American | Defense Lawyer | Prosecutor | Perjury

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win

Also Known As:

Murder on a Sunday Morning (International: English title) (USA)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15

Filming Locations:

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Company:

Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)

Movie Connections:

References Casablanca (1942)

Solid courtroom drama/documentary

I watched this on HBO because it won the Oscar a week earlier. It compares favorably with fictional courtroom dramas.

The story is of a 15-year-old black kid placed on trial for the Jacksonville, FL, murder of an elderly white woman based almost solely on the identification by the victim's husband and on a confession that the defense contends was coerced.

About half the footage is of the trial; it's supplemented with footage of the defense lawyers (two public defenders) explaining their case, interviewing witnesses, and visiting key locations. This is edited with a minimum of needless repetition, and placed in logical order. The camera work is pretty solid. And there's a mildly surprising epilogue.