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Friday, October 22, 2010

MOVIE REVIEW 
Conviction
A Brother Condemned, A Sister Emboldened


Hilary Swank as Betty Anne Waters and Sam Rockwell as Kenny Waters in the film version of the true story of the brother and sister tandem.  "Conviction" is directed by Tony Goldwyn and written by Pamela Gray. 
Fox Searchlight

by Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com        Follow popcornreel on Twitter FOLLOW
Friday, October 22, 2010

"Conviction", which opened today in San Francisco while continuing in other U.S. cities, is the double-edged title of a film based on a true story of a brother and sister in Massachusetts.  The title refers to the wrongful conviction of Kenny Waters, who was released in 2001 after serving 18 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.  The title also refers to the unwavering conviction of Betty Anne Waters in her brother's innocence.  A waitress, Ms. Waters, a single mother of two with debts "up the wazoo", put herself through law school and then the state's Bar Exam, becoming a lawyer, solely to free her imprisoned brother.  She continues to wait tables today.

Tony Goldwyn directs and Pamela Gray writes this smart, well-contained drama, and the performances of Sam Rockwell and Hilary Swank in the aforementioned roles are the powerful glue that holds this film in place.  Ms. Gray's screenplay resists melodramatic flourishes, maintaining a considerable majority of the factual information of the real-life participants, melding them with intelligent dialogue.  What we see and hear feels genuine.  The characters' personalities and foibles come through on the big screen without obstructing the story, which entertains, informs and fixates.

The characters may or may not be likable and the situations they are placed in are unenviable.  "Conviction" doesn't fire up a mighty outrage, though the actors here are more than capable of doing so.  Ms. Swank, who has portrayed blue-collar true-life figures before ("Boys Don't Cry") brings a humanity, toughness and resolute way to Ms. Waters while staying within the parameters of the story.  Ms. Swank also conveys dignity and determination without swinging for the fences or the audience's moral righteousness button.  Often Ms. Swank has resisted varnishing a character, choosing instead to exhibit purity over theatricality, which makes her an appealing and effective talent.  Her craft has progressed even more since winning two Oscars, and she always brings confidence, focus and integrity to the roles she inhabits.

Mr. Rockwell simmers with brooding intensity as Kenny Waters.  His physicality shifts as his character's plight changes, and it's fascinating to watch the transformation.  In an early scene he's an unpredictable free spirit, in a later scene, he's an explosive tinder-box.  Both scenes rely not only on Mr. Rockwell's physical comportment but also on the suspense surrounding the way he exudes and utilizes it.  Mr. Rockwell, America's greatest current actor (Mr. Downey Jr. and Mr. Washington aside), has been adept at this kind of shifting physicality for sometime, in roles both large and small.  He's often played cerebral or comedic-like figures whose volatility and/or rashness know no bounds, but here the confluence of brain and brawn are blurred. 

The greatest joy of "Conviction" is not only its writing and effective direction (Mr. Goldwyn and Ms. Gray also directed and wrote the romantic drama "A Walk On The Moon") but in seeing these two somewhat underappreciated actors working together onscreen.  It's rare to see two relatively-under-the radar (even with Ms. Swank's Oscars) work so well like this.

Peter Gallagher has a cameo as Innocence Project director and one-time O.J. Simpson defense attorney Barry Scheck, and his portrayal has a sense of comedy to it amidst the serious circumstances.  It is likely unintended levity on Mr. Gallagher's part, but every time you see him on screen, you get the feeling that either you or he is about to burst out into laughter.  I've met and spoken to Mr. Scheck in person and he's a more direct and incisive person than the onscreen portrayal, but I bet Mr. Gallagher had a lot of fun playing him.

With: Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo, Ari Graynor, Clea Du Vall, Juliette Lewis, Loren Dean, Conor Donovan, Karen Young, Owen Campbell, Tobias Campbell, Bailee Madison, John Pyper-Ferguson.

"Conviction" is rated R by the Motion Picture Association Of America for language and some violent images.  The film's running time is one hour and 46 minutes.
 
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