Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Reese Witherspoon | ... | Pam Hobbs | |
Colin Firth | ... | Ron Lax | |
Alessandro Nivola | ... | Terry Hobbs | |
James Hamrick | ... | Damien Echols | |
Seth Meriwether | ... | Jason Baldwin | |
Kristopher Higgins | ... | Jessie Misskelley (as Kris Higgins) | |
Amy Ryan | ... | Margaret Lax | |
Robert Baker | ... | Detective Bryan Ridge | |
Collette Wolfe | ... | Glori Shettles | |
Rex Linn | ... | Chief Inspector Gitchell | |
Bruce Greenwood | ... | Judge Burnett | |
Kristoffer Polaha | ... | Val Price | |
Matt Letscher | ... | Paul Ford | |
Michael Gladis | ... | Dan Stidham | |
Stephen Moyer | ... | John Fogleman |
Based on the actual events of the West Memphis Three, where three young boys were savagely murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993. Spurred on by the demand from a grieving town, the local police act quickly to bring three "devil-worshipping" teenagers to trial. With their lives hanging in the balance, investigator Ron Lax is trying to find the truth between the town's need for justice and the guilt of the accused. Written by Anne Campbell
Why You Might Like It: This movie is an above average murder mystery/courtroom drama. It is based on real events, which is something that definitely makes the film more intriguing and interesting. The cast is well put together and the acting is on par for the most part. Witherspoon and Firth deliver solid performances and the supporting cast do a fine job. I thought the movie had a nice flow to it and the some of the cinematography was well done. I do give the director credit for some of the scenes in the film that are a little troubling to watch because I believe it is important to the final product. I don't believe I would make the trip to the theater to see it, but it is well worth a rental.
Why You Might Not Like It: I will say that the content is disturbing and there are parts of the movie that are really hard to watch. Afterall, this movie is about the brutal murder of three young kids. This isn't something that is depicted off camera, but instead there are parts and images shown in plain view that will bother most viewers. There are a couple of the roles in the movie that seem to be a little overacted and stereotyped, but that is just my opinion. I also thought there were a few spots in the movie that were a little choppy, which had a minor effect on the way the film plays out.
Acting/Casting: 7*
Directing/Cinematography/Technical: 6.5*
Plot/Characters: 7*
Entertainment Value: 6.5*
Total - 7+6.5+7+6.5 = 27/4 = 6.75* - Well worth a rental