The fact that Conviction is based on a true story helps it get across the line as far as watchability goes.
Hilary Swank plays Betty Ann Waters, a divorced mother of two who devotes 20 years of her life to proving her brother Kenny (Sam Rockwell) was wrongfully convicted of murder.
In what can be described as one of the dodgiest trials I've ever seen, Kenny is found guilty of murder through largely circumstantial evidence that would be laughable at the very least today.
It is made pretty obvious that he has been framed and Betty Ann vows to get justice served. So she goes back to school to become a lawyer in order to take the case that no-one else will.
The key point in her investigation comes when she discovers the use of DNA technology that wasn't available when Kenny was tried to clear people wrongfully convicted.
So Betty Ann sets out to find the old evidence so she can have him cleared. Naturally she comes across more than a few roadblocks.
It's a well named movie about loyalty and can be filed in the Erin Brockovich section of movies. Swank puts in her usual strong performance, Rockwell is odd as ever (his character was really stretching it on the likability scale though) and there is good support from Minnie Driver and Melissa Leo among others.
My problem with Conviction is that it is a very good story but not an overly brilliant movie. It felt disjointed and there was very little opportunity to empathise with Kenny. Maybe that was true to life, I don't know.
Anyway, a 7 out of 10 and I'd have to say I'm a bit disappointed because there could have been a cracking movie in this story.
Hilary Swank plays Betty Ann Waters, a divorced mother of two who devotes 20 years of her life to proving her brother Kenny (Sam Rockwell) was wrongfully convicted of murder.
In what can be described as one of the dodgiest trials I've ever seen, Kenny is found guilty of murder through largely circumstantial evidence that would be laughable at the very least today.
It is made pretty obvious that he has been framed and Betty Ann vows to get justice served. So she goes back to school to become a lawyer in order to take the case that no-one else will.
The key point in her investigation comes when she discovers the use of DNA technology that wasn't available when Kenny was tried to clear people wrongfully convicted.
So Betty Ann sets out to find the old evidence so she can have him cleared. Naturally she comes across more than a few roadblocks.
It's a well named movie about loyalty and can be filed in the Erin Brockovich section of movies. Swank puts in her usual strong performance, Rockwell is odd as ever (his character was really stretching it on the likability scale though) and there is good support from Minnie Driver and Melissa Leo among others.
My problem with Conviction is that it is a very good story but not an overly brilliant movie. It felt disjointed and there was very little opportunity to empathise with Kenny. Maybe that was true to life, I don't know.
Anyway, a 7 out of 10 and I'd have to say I'm a bit disappointed because there could have been a cracking movie in this story.
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