Review of Conviction (2010) by Stu J — 26 Feb 2011

This tale of a single mother (Hilary Swank) with two kids and her (almost) life-long ambition to free her wrongfully imprisoned brother by putting herself through law school is a highly inspiring one and is doubtless unique. It's treatment here, however, feels just a touch inauthentic, giving the impression that the prisoner in question, Kenny Waters (Sam Rockwell), has perhaps had his past sugar-coated just a bit. We are led to believe that Kenny is framed by the police during adulthood as a consequence of breaking into a few houses as a little boy and stealing some lollies. One assumes that his criminal history was actually a little more colourful than this prior to his conviction and that perhaps we are not given the full story as this would jeopardise our ability to empathise with him.

Similarly, Kenny's untimely demise just 6 months after being released from his 18 year prison term is not mentioned, presumably so as to finish the film on an upbeat note. This is a strange omission given that a written pre-credits postscript detailing such would have done no harm to the film overall, indeed it would have completed the tragedy of the story.

As a result the film feels a little manipulative though not on the magnitude of last years The Blind Side. But like The Blind Side, the calibre of the central performances far outweigh any misgivings about the films lack of factual transparency and, regardless, the events depicted are essentially true.

The performances are nothing short of brilliant. Hilary Swank shows us what she capable of, effortlessly wringing the tears out of the audience at every appropriate moment. Sam Rockwell is a veritable chameleon, barely recognisable in each new project he undertakes and this performance is no exception. The only thing holding him back from Hollywood A-list status is perhaps that he is too good and consequently has no readily identifiable on-screen persona (unlike, say, Jack Nicholson or Jeff Bridges, for example). Minnie Driver shines brighter than ever before and has possibly never had a role as strong as this. Juliette Lewis plays yet another trailer park tramp. Seriously, her agent needs to find her some higher class characters to play lest we think that she really is white trash.

Despite its minor misgivings, Conviction is supremely entertaining top-shelf dramatic film making.