Did they really think we’d feel sorry for a perverted priest? The movie almost tries to play that angle, but honestly, the only crime he committed was Linda. The big twist works, but let’s be real it’s not groundbreaking if you’ve seen a few thrillers. It feels clever the first time, but once you know it, the rest of the film is just okay. For me, the ending wasn’t even that surprising. Maybe it’s because I wanted him to be released anyway, so when the reveal came, it didn’t hit as hard as it was supposed to. The subplot doesn’t go anywhere; it just exists to pad the runtime and distract the audience. Still, I didn’t deduct any points for that, because I liked the courtroom scenes. They carry some tension and entertainment, even if they sometimes drag. The real problem is that everything in between feels like filler until Norton reappears. He’s the electricity in the film the rest is just lamps waiting to be plugged in. And then there’s the ending: satisfying, sure, but too neat. The film closes in a way that makes you think, wow, Norton is brilliant, not wow, this was a brilliant film. Worth one watch for Norton’s performance, but otherwise, an overrated 90s courtroom drama with more smoke than fire.
Did they really think we’d feel sorry for a perverted priest? The movie almost tries to play that angle, but honestly, the only crime he committed was Linda. The big twist works, but let’s be real it’s not groundbreaking if you’ve seen a few thrillers. It feels clever the first time, but once you know it, the rest of the film is just okay. For me, the ending wasn’t even that surprising. Maybe it’s because I wanted him to be released anyway, so when the reveal came, it didn’t hit as hard as it was supposed to. The subplot doesn’t go anywhere; it just exists to pad the runtime and distract the audience. Still, I didn’t deduct any points for that, because I liked the courtroom scenes. They carry some tension and entertainment, even if they sometimes drag. The real problem is that everything in between feels like filler until Norton reappears. He’s the electricity in the film the rest is just lamps waiting to be plugged in. And then there’s the ending: satisfying, sure, but too neat. The film closes in a way that makes you think, wow, Norton is brilliant, not wow, this was a brilliant film. Worth one watch for Norton’s performance, but otherwise, an overrated 90s courtroom drama with more smoke than fire.
