Pantheon Entertainment Corporation, Oceana Media Finance, Innocence Productions
Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Melissa Leo, Clea DuVall, Peter Gallagher, Minnie Driver, Juliette Lewis, Bailee Madison, Loren Dean
Kenneth Waters(Sam Rockwell) is trouble. He’s been in and out of brushes with the law for years. But his sister Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) believes in him. When Kenneth is convicted upon pretty weak evidence of a terrible murder, Betty, a high school dropout, proceeds to get her GED, then college, and finally pursues a law degree with the sole purpose proving that he was unjustly convicted. With the advent of DNA evidence which was not available, Betty Anne sets out to solve the mystery and seek her brothers exoneration. This is based on a true story.
This is the kind of role that Hilary Swank was born to play. It’s a very inspiring story. Sam Rockwell is also excellent in his role as a typical bad seed. These guys grew up in a hard home environment, and it shows. The challenges Betty Anne have to face are overwhelming, and the thought that she is wasting her life on her brother comes up. Her husband (Peter Gallagher) can only take so much of it, and the drain on her relationship with her sons also shows as we come to a discussion of whether the two brothers would do the same thing for each other. But Betty Anne also has a good friend in Minnie Driver’s character who takes some of the frustration Betty Anne sends her way without flinching, but motivates and supports her when it seems hopeless.
This is a simple movie, not big on action and adventure, but a strong story of family and loyalty up against greed and treachery. It’s a good crime drama and prison story in one. Not a bad film, and one I enjoyed quite a bit.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
Movie Review - Conviction (2010) {R},
