Convinced that her brother, Kenneth (Sam Rockwell), has been unjustly convicted of murder and incompetently defended by court-ordered attorneys, high school dropout Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) puts herself through law school in order to represent him in his appeal. Inspired by a true story, director Tony Goldwyn’s stirring drama also stars Melissa Leo, Minnie Driver, Peter Gallagher and Clea DuVall.
Matt
Rating: 8 out of 10
This is the kind of story that is too good for a writer to make up. I loved the idea of a sister being hell-bound to prove the innocence of her brother after he was sentenced to life in prison.
The director, Tony Goldwyn, weaves a nice story, telling both the back story of the brother, the sister, and their childhood. We also get the narrative of the present, as the sister uncovers the mystery of proving her brother’s innocence. I was glued to the story and never bored. It never felt long or drawn out, despite the many legal hurdles they the siblings face throughout.
The performances in this film are excellent. Rockwell and Swank deliver memorable roles. This is a really well made film that didn’t get a lot of love. It should have.
The Movie Brothers 
I really liked it (I did think it was a bit drawn out) but, I think in a way that was necessary and helped to give a feel of how long this appeal actually took.
Thanks
Lynn 😀
Hey Lynn!
Thanks for reading. I think at one point I said, “Oh my god, this keeps going?” But I had to feel that. It’s part of what this story is. It had to feel difficult to watch.
really good movie this is a must see
Great review, but this film is paced like molasses running down a tree-trunk. No doubt a compelling story but screenwriter and director vampirishly drained it of its life.
I haven’t got around to reviewing this yet but I think it’s a darn good film! It’s difficult to watch at times, but the compelling performances from Swank and Rockwell made it worthwhile.