TRUE CRIME (M). (Warner Bros/Village Roadshow) Director: Clint Eastwood Stars: Clint Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Denis Leary, James Woods, Diane Venora, Bernard Hill, Michael McKean, Michael Jeter, Mary McCormack, Hattie Winston, Frances Fisher, Anthony Zerbe, William Windom, Penny Bae Bridges Running time: 129 minutes.
Clint Eastwood seems to be choosing vastly different material, moving away from the straight forward action adventures in which he established his reputation to far more interesting, intelligent character driven pieces. His latest offering is True Crime, a rather conventional crime drama that takes us onto death row and a race against time to prevent an execution. We've been down this path before, most recently with James Foley's The Chamber, Bruce Beresford's Last Dance, and Tim Robbins' powerful Dead Man Walking. However, Eastwood brings an unexpected emotional depth to the material which makes for gripping viewing.
Like his last few movies, True Crime has also been adapted from a best selling novel. Writers Larry Gross (48 Hours, etc), Paul Brickman (Risky Business, etc) and Stephen Schiff (the recent controversial adaptation of Lolita, etc) bring a rich emotional texture to the multi-layered drama.
Eastwood plays Steve Everett, a stereotypical hard-drinking, womanising rogue journalist whose private life is careening out of control. He finds one last chance at redemption when assigned to take over a human interest story about Frank Beachum (Isaiah Washington), a convicted murderer due to be executed later that night by lethal injection. Beachum, a black mechanic, was accused of murdering a pregnant, young, white shop assistant who owed him money. Everett discovers that Beachum may in fact be innocent, and sets out to prove it.
True Crime primarily explores how justice is sometimes blind. This is a more low key and surprisingly restrained film from Eastwood, but he directs with his usual assurance and no-nonsense, economical style. Eastwood turns up the suspense in the film's latter portion as he deftly intercuts between Everett's desperate search to uncover the vital evidence that will prove his claims, and the prison, where Beachum is being prepared for execution. This injects a potent emotional punch into the material.
The film also draws a nicely ironic contrast between Everett's chaotic domestic life and Beachum's family, which brings an added dimension to the drama. However, some of the scenes in which Everett attempts to spend quality time with his daughter (played by Eastwood's real life daughter Francesca) do not add much to the drama, and only serve to slow down the film. Eastwood injects some light humour into the film through Everett's heated clashes with his editors (a wonderfully edgy Denis Leary and a gruff James Woods).
Eastwood himself delivers a solid performance as the cynical, determined reporter, a role that perfectly suits his laconic screen persona. In one of his more subtle performances he gives the flawed Everett a certain credibility. Washington is superb and lends dignity to his portrayal of Beachum, while Lisa Gay Hamilton (recently seen in Beloved) is touching as his wife. Bernard Hill (last seen as the captain of the doomed Titanic) brings a sense of compassion to his role as the prison warder.
*** greg king http://www.netau.com.au/gregking
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