A Time to Kill

Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) is the leading defense lawyer in the case of Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L Jackson) vs the state of (Canton) Mississippi in 1984 after Hailey shot and murdered the two men who raped his 10 year old daughter in cold blood. A the threats from the Klan amplify, Jake has to decide how much he is able to tolerate for the safety of everyone around him. Other standpoint characters are Jake’s wife (Carla Brigance, played by Ashley Judd), Ellen Roark (Sandra Bullock), DA Rufus Buckley (Kevin Spacey), Lucien Wilbanks (Donald Sutherland), and Harry Rex Conner (Oliver Platt).  This is a movie about the struggle for true justice in a society heavily weighed down by racial prejudice. It’s also a movie about who you define your character as and how that affects their relationships and society around them both positively and negatively. The commentary of the spectrum of while involvement in the movie is interesting; everything from white saviors to corrupt cops in the Klan. Just incredibly thought provoking even many years after first coming out. Some people think this movie is too superficial, dragged out too long, and too sappy an adaptation from John Grisham’s initial novel. I think that this movie dives into the topic of racial prejudice as deep as you’d be able to handle in the context of the rape and attempted murder of a 10 year old child. I think the pacing is great and I think all of the build up prior to the trial scenes are necessary to build tension and raise the stakes. Audience issues about the film betraying the initial novel I cannot comment on, but I can say that this movie peaked my interest in reading the initial form.  If this movie wasn’t carried on plot, which I think is highly engaging, then it is carried by the strength in acting performances. The cast is unbelievable: McConaughey, Bullock, L Jackson, Spacey. Every actor in this movie brings something to it. The chemistry between McConaughey, and pretty much everyone, but especially Bullock and Judd is believable in a way that makes you buy into the story like it affects you personally - the flirty banter between Jake and Ellen is well balanced - just enough to cut tension, but not enough to challenge Jake’s character - the progression of characters utilizing the relationship as a tool is impressive. Not to mention the scene where Carla finally understands Jake’s true intentions behind taking the case. Matthew is stellar in this movie (hint hint a little preview for the caliper of emotional performance we see in Interstellar many years later) - notably the scene with him on the steps covered in blood, no words just pure facial acting, you can feel his distress before he even turns around - I think that scene is better than when Jake is sitting in the pile of ashes that was once his house emotional about his dog; side note, the symbolism of that scene with Rex telling him he’s next to die then seeing Max emerge from the field is almost ironic. Every relationship is interesting even the ones between supporting characters.  I think this movie is interesting because most great films aren’t necessarily carried by the acting, or at least have stronger elements of film to go with it, but for me this is an exception. One thing I did notice was the constant sweat dripping down all the characters emphasizes the tension throughout the movie.  I’m not sure why but there’s a flavor of Leo in Django that I’m picking up in Spacey specifically in this movie. This for me is a movie that could scrape into my top 100 just based on how much I like it, but I wouldn’t necessarily anticipate it to land on anyone else’s. The closing statement monologue from Jake is obviously so well-written and emotional. I also thought he was going to be found guilty regardless. Thank goodness Max, the dog, didn’t die or else I wouldn’t be able to accurately rank this movie.  The last scene with Jake brining Hannah to play, then Tonya saying, “Nice to meet you Hannah,” as she shakes her hand with a big smiles is the first movie in a long time to bring me to tears.  “YES THEY DESERVE TO DIE AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL” Quotes: “You got a daughter Jake, what would you do?” “You can win and justice will prevail, but you can lose and justice will also prevail. Now that’s a strange case.” “Justice is and will be colorblind” “You out there Jake, I’m in here. We ain’t no team” “I thought you were a liberal.” “I am. What I am not is a card carrying, ACLU radial. I do not believe in forgiveness. Nor in rehabilitation. I believe in safety, I believe in justice.”  “No he wasn’t crazy, he told me he was gonna do it.” “You wagered all our lives on this” “YOU TURN HIM LOOSE” “Mr. Brigance when you and Lois Lane are ready” “Some stranger, somebody’s husband, somebody’s son, put themselves in harms way for me” “Don’t be me. Be better than me.” “When you look at me you don’t see no man, you see a black man” “If you were on that jury what would it take for you to set me free? That’s how you save us both” “What is it in us that seeks the truth? Is it our minds or is it our hearts?” “Can you see her? Now imagine she’s white.”