Conviction

IMDb Link

This film manages to prove many things...

First, the judicial system is really fucked up and it makes you wonder how many innocent people are rotting in jail right now.

Second, when the higher-powers that be hate you, then you're fucked... you grow up white trash, you spend most of your life in prison, wrongly accused. And 6 months after you're free, you die in a stupid accident.

Third, there are some people out there who still act in films because they believe in the story and not because they get millions and millions of dollars to act. The cast is top-notch and it is obvious (well, because I read it on IMDb) that the cast took a pay cut. It helps to have an actor as a director, I think. But still: Driver, Rockwell, Swank, Lewis, Leo and Gallagher: kudos. And by the way: Juliet Lewis is really good as the lowly white trash (one of many).

Fourth, small budget films can have better make-up than big budget ones. The aging of Rockwell and Swank is subtle and great. Kudos (again) to the make-up artist(s).

Fifth, okay, the story is important, we need to be reminded that the system can be corrupt and life is all fucked up. But I'll be honest: although the film is well-written, well-acted and well-directed, it felt a bit like a Movie Of the Week. Maybe because of its theme, I don't know. I have nothing against MOWs, don't get me wrong, but what I am saying is that something was missing from this film. Not sure what... I guess I didn't really care about the characters as much as I should have, even though I am a big Sam Rockwell fan. But I never got to feel the urgency or the tragedy that this situation obviously caused... So maybe it wasn't as well-written as could have been. Or maybe the writer and/or the director decided to avoid the obvious clichés and figured that audiences were smart enough to realize that being in prison as an innocent man is fucked up enough as it is.

I do like the title, though... Convicted of a crime/convinced of innocence... Conviction is the perfect title.

But, really... the dude dies six months after being released. How unfair is that, really? So... if he had stayed in prison, he'd still be alive. But in prison. Is it really better to die a free man? Don't know. Not sure. It's fucked up is what this is.

And, although this is a true story and the heinous asshole who killed Ms Brow was never found, deep down, I kinda think Elmo Blatch did it. That dude's a cock.