Levity (2003)

After two decades in prison for murder, a man is released on parole and returns to his hometown seeking redemption.

Director:

Ed Solomon

Writer:

Ed Solomon

Stars:

Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, Kirsten Dunst

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Manuel Jordan
Morgan Freeman	...	Miles Evans
Holly Hunter	...	Adele Easley
Kirsten Dunst	...	Sofia Mellinger
Manuel Aranguiz	...	Senor Aguilar
Geoffrey Wigdor	...	Abner Easley
Luke Robertson	...	Young Abner Easley
Dorian Harewood	...	Mackie Whittaker
Catherine Colvey	...	Claire Mellinger
Billoah Greene	...	Don
Sadiki Burke	...	Sadiki
Abede Burke	...	Abede
Diego Abella	...	Raul
Brent Rogers	...	Ty
Cordell Clyde	...	Cleve

Storyline

The film philosophical approach at redemption. The protagonist Manual Jordan has gotten parole from a life sentence for the murder of Abner Easley, and returns to the city he lived in to try to seek redemption. He ends up living and working at a community house run by a preacher, Miles Evans. The film is equipped with beautiful voice-overs about the meaning of life and different philosophies for getting redeemed. Manual also becomes friends with Adele Easley, his victims sister, in an attempt to make up for what he did. While working at the home he has interactions with Sofia Mellinger, the druggie daughter of a famous singer, struggling with the lack of adult guidance in her life.

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Plot Keywords:

redemption | community house | singer | parole | robbery | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official website [United States]

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 August 2003 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Forsoningens tid

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$7,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,599, 6 April 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$209,151, 17 August 2003

Company Credits

Production Co:

StudioCanal,Sony Pictures Classics,FilmColony

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ed Solomon wrote the screenplay over twenty years.

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Goofs

During a scene at the soup kitchen, Miles wants help serving the soup and shoots a slice of bread at Manual to get his attention. The bread lands on Manual's tray next to his soup bowl. In the next shot, the slice of bread has disappeared.

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Quotes

Miles Evans: You think God talks to me? We argue maybe, but He don't participate. It's all right. I'll see Him one day. When I do, I'm gonna whip His holy ass.

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Crazy Credits

Thanks to ... Terry & Siobhan ... Cynthia, Evan and Olivia ...

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Connections

Referenced in The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Ed Solomon (2007)

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Soundtracks

Time Inside a Memory
Performed by John F. Rangel Quintet
Written by John F. Rangel
Courtesy of John F. Rangel

User Reviews

Ten for the title alone!

I can well understand why this misses the mark for so many people. A lack of the dramatics, no "twist" like "The Life of David Gale," retro dialog almost and Kirsten Dunst at her most irritating.

What you have is Billy Bob on another 'one man's redemption' kick, that he does just so well. The film is in the dialog, the gestures, the mannerisms. Holly Hunter's self deprecating comment early in the film when she admits to Billy Bob her expectation of the standards of her sexual partners had been lowered over the years , was one of cinemas greatest ever lines. (You'll know it when you hear it)

Freeman's flaky preacher is a stand-out despite variations to his voice modulation. Again, it all depends what you are expecting out of this film. best you expect nothing my friend - just let it unravel. It is both thought-provoking and emotionally strident.

I enjoyed it very much and would consider a rating of 8 reasonable.