Conference bookie::movies

    What's it about Donna? I haven't heard about this one yet?
    
    S..x

    It's about a black man on trial for the murder to the two white trash
    who beat and raped his 10 year old daughter.
    
    I really enjoyed the book, and re-read it before I saw the movie.  I
    definitely agree with the fact that the movie version is true to the
    book.  However, the ending in the book was not very satisfying, and
    neither is the ending in the movie.
    
    Speaking of being miscast, I thought Donald Sutherland was wrong for
    Lucien.  I would have liked to see Ed Asner or WIlford Brimley in that
    role, someone less regal and more dumpy!
    
    NAZZ

    I saw the movie over the weekend with about two dozen others.
    Grisham had a lot of say-so in the making of the movie, which
    is why it's so true to the book. Fortunately they left out some
    very explicit violence that the book contains.
    
    Personally I really liked Donald Sutherland. I can see where someone
    more dumpy might fit in better, but this way the character is even more
    pitiful -- somebody with so much class unable to pursue his dreams.
    (Read the book/see the movie to understand the situation).
    
    I was a little disappointed in Kevin Spacey's fake southern accent.
    He just didn't seem right for the role.
    
    The movie was OK. It's PC enough to get lots of help, but not from me.
    
      John

    I thought this was a very predictable Hollywood type movie, until the
    end and then Kevin M. saved the day with his closing argument.  Very
    powerful.  

    I agree this is a very conventional Hollywood movie, but I thought it
    was better executed than most.  I liked Samuel L. Jackson, especially
    early in the movie.  And I thought the treatment of racism was
    interesting.  A gripping narrative, an interesting subject, but quite a few
    cliches.  You can't take it too seriously, but it's an interesting
    movie.
    
    The transatlantic casting was a little startling: Patrick MacGoohan as the 
    judge and Brenda Fricker as the lawyer's secretary.  They seemed to do OK 
    with their southern accents.  The wounded cop ( a relatively small role) 
    was effectively played by the actor who played the lead in "Lone Star," 
    whose name I forget.  

    >> played by the actor who played the lead in "Lone Star," 
        whose name I forget.  
    
    
    Chris Cooper, I think.

    That's right... the role's even listed in his "actor filmography", in
    note 1123.5.
    
    -Stephen

    A very powerful film! Outstanding performances by Samuel L Jackson,
    M.M. ( a clever way to avoid trying to spell his last name) and Kevin   
    Spacey, in particular. Sandra Bullock was okay but didn't do anything    
    special, except look pretty.                                           
                                                                           
    The book contained some very graphic details,(regarding a very heinous
    crime) but the movie gets the point across without being sensational,   
    a rare thing in movies these days.
    
     Oh, what happens should shock you, disgust you, make you angry
    and make you think. The closing argument is one of the most moving       
    scenes I've seen in a long time. 
    
    When a film can evoke so many emotions, it is, IMHO, a great film. This
    is one of those movies that will stay with you for a long time.
    
     
     
                                 **** out of ****
    Gary S.
           

    re:  the closing argument scene
    
    I had read that the scene was done in "one take" which I thought was
    pretty impressive on the part of Matthew McConaughey (hell, I'll give it
    a shot!)  I hope he chooses his future roles well - I think he could
    have a very good career

    
    Finally saw this one the other night and I gotta say that this one is
    probably my favorite Grisham adaptation.  Powerful performances by all. 
    The summation scene was probably one of the best courtroom scenes I had
    witnessed in awhile.
    
    Samuel L Jackson has more than proven himself a fine actor, as well as
    Matthew McConaughey.  Now if only they'd choose their scripts a little
    more wisely =)

  I rented the tape the other day. I pretty much agree with what's been said,
it's a really good movie, good acting, good direction, etc. It was a bit
strange having Sandra Bullock listed as a star given her rather small part
but I thought she did it well.

  **** out of 5.

  There were a couple threads left dangling. I'm curious as to whether they
addressed them in the book.

SPOILER warning



  So who was the guy in the Klan with the Mickey Mouse tattoo who kept saving
everyone? Is that explained in the book? Also, how did the Sheriff figure
out that the brother and his deputy were the ones in the Klan responsible for
the violence?

  George

    Re: loose threads...
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    I read the book a while ago, so I maybe I'm might not have this all
    straight. (Have not seen the movie). The Mickey Mouse character was
    someone who knew and liked the defense attorney, and so he would call 
    in warnings. One such call was before an attempt to blow up the house;
    the sheriff was able to lay in wait and apprehend the men who came to
    do it. A later attempt to blow up the house was successful. Poor Mickey
    Mouse was caught by the Klan and killed brutally. After that, though,
    the Klan decided they had done all they could do in the case and just
    took off. Why they decided that wasn't very well explained; I felt a
    bit mystified that they just kinda gave up like that.
    					Jim B.