'True Crime' (1999)
A movie review by Walter Frith
wfrith@cgocable.net
Member of the 'Online Film Critics Society' http://www.ofcs.org
The last time Clint Eastwood made a movie as a director that was under two hours was 1990's 'White Hunter, Black Heart' in which he played a variation on movie director John Huston who was on a quest to get 'The African Queen' made. Based on the novel by Andrew Klavan and written for the screen by Larry Gross, Paul Brickman and Stephen Schiff, 'True Crime' has the usual stamp of an Eastwood directed film. It's long, and has a somewhat corroded and protracted structure but Eastwood manages to land on his feet the way he usually does --- by making it absorbing. You would expect to find a quiet and somewhat muted tone to a film that is a suspenseful take on the execution of a possibly innocent man.
In 'True Crime', Eastwood plays Steve Everett, a seemingly washed up investigative journalist who is one of those guys that cheats on his wife, drinks and smokes too much, has little or no money, constantly fights with his superiors, and through it all, is also great at his job. As the film is in its early stages, Everett is seen sleeping with the wife of one of his editors (Denis Leary) who later finds out about the affair and upon confronting Everett about it, both of them find that cooler heads prevail. The same can't be said, however, for Everett's senior editor (James Woods), who is hilarious and has some of the film's best scenes of dialogue in his conflicts with Everett.
At San Quentin prison, a death row inmate named Frank Beachum (Isiah Washington) is about to be executed on the day a young female journalist from Everett's newspaper is supposed to do a human interest story about the event. She is killed on in a car wreck on the infamous Dead Man's curve and the assignment goes to Everett. He is told to do some straight reporting and naturally he doesn't listen and the more he thinks about it and observes the facts of the case, the more he finds out that the prisoner may be innocent and he is on a last minute crusade to save his life. Isiah Washington is excellent in this film as Beachum and he accepts his fate in a very calm manner. The guards at the prison during his final hours are polite and make things as easy for him as possible and Beachum refuses to show any remorse for the crime to the prison chaplain since he insists he's innocent. His wife and little girl visit him (assuming its the last time) and it's a very emotional scene.
Everett tries to balance his coverage of the story with his personal life and had, on this day, promised to take his little girl to the zoo. Never one to balance his personal and professional life in proper perspective, Beachum neglects his duty as both father and husband and pursues the story which should be his first priority after all since a man is about to die.
In addition to being a taut and nail biting dram, 'True Crime' also succeeds at being an very interesting rap of social commentary on both sides of the death penalty. It offers an explanation that at the time of lethal injection, two guards push the button setting off the machine to inject poison into the prisoner's system but a computer scrambles the motion of events so each guard doesn't know who really administered the deadly punishment. Sort of like the theory of a firing squad where 6 men open fire on their prey but only one has live ammunition. The film also shows the doubts and fears that prison officials have with carrying out their duty.
Unfortunately, the film takes wild an unexpectedly bizarre turn into degrading its final twenty minutes into becoming an action picture. Eastwood makes the film seem like it will throw you a curve ball at the last minute and while waiting for the inevitable to happen, Eastwood is able to keep the audience on the edge of their seats as things may turn out differently than expected. And Clint even uses slow motion at one point, something he's long been against and I can't remember the last time he EVER used it! Through it all, the movie is well worth a look for the most part, but waivers from being a potential classic and is instead another installment in the Clint Eastwood director's library where his style is becoming too typical. How many times can you direct a film with pace and feeling of jazz music, Eastwood's favourite form of musical rhythm which doesn't always work in his movies!
OUT OF 5 > * * * 1/2
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* * * * * - a must see * * * * 1/2 - don't miss it * * * * - an excellent film * * * 1/2 - a marginal recommendation * * * - can't quite recommend it * * 1/2 - don't recommend it * * - avoid it * 1/2 - avoid it seriously * - avoid it AT ALL COSTS 1/2 - see it at your own risk zero - may be hazardous to your health
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