Although this movie has many fatal flaws, I do have to admit (reluctantly) that I do like this film, especially some of its elements.
The actual happenings may be a bit far-fetched, with The Teacher going to such lengths on ONE person and concentrating whole-heartedly on that ONE person is a bit increduluous considering the substancial evidence mounted against Boffano, the mob boss. Certainly if I was The Teacher, I wouldn't be putting all my hopes on only one person, trying to convince them that an already guilty person in the minds of the jury to be innocent, especially considering the outcomes of the trial if Annie failed to convince her fellow jury to vote 'not guilty'.
However, what I do like about this movie is the incredible cast. Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, Anne Heche and Joseph Gorden-Levitt are all really good in their roles. I thought Alec Baldwin's performance was really really good (emphasis on the 'really'). I don't particularly know why I think so, but his psycotic, sociopathic 'thing' was superb. My favourite part in this story is when The Teacher (Alec Baldwin) asks Annie (Demi Moore)when they are in the woods, whether she believes that he is capable of giving himself whole-heartedly to love. He then goes on to say that it's a shame you hate me so much, because I do love you (I don't know the exact words). That warped sense of loving someone you aren't supposed to is what I love about this movie.
Yes I do realise that the whole movie is extremely predictable and extremely unlikely to occur in the real world. But then again, there are plenty of movies which are extremely unlikely to occur in the real world. That is what movies are about. If everything in films were a reflection on 'the real world' there would be no such thing as fiction and films as indeed everything would inadvertely become documentaries. As for the predictable ending, there are heaps of succussful, predictable formula films out there that thrive on that predictability element.
