Conference bookie::movies

    I saw this on Friday and enjoyed it quite a bit.  It's a competently
    done courtroom drama that keeps you pretty well on the edge of your
    seat.  There are lots of twists and turns in the plot and lots of red
    herrings, so it works well as a mystery and as a suspense story.
    
    If you have any plans to see this, *SEE IT SOON*!  There are a number
    of major plot points subject to major spoilers which could potentially
    damage much of the drama and suspense.
    
    The plot revolves around a troubled choir boy who is captured fleeing,
    covered in blood, from the scene of a butchery/murder of Chicago's 
    archbishop.  He claims to be innocent and Martin Vail, a very high
    profile defense lawyer, agrees to take his case pro bono.  The case
    becomes continually more complex as things proceed...
    
    - Dave

    >>   This film stars Richard Gere, (be still my heart) and Lauren Holly
    							       ^^^^^^^^^^^^
    
    I don't know if Lauren is in the movie, but I think the lead actress is
    somebody named Laura Linley (or something close to that).  Apparently
    the only other film she has been in was "Congo"		

    RE: Laur* *y
    
    Yes, it is the actress who was in "Congo" - I don't know her name.
    
    - Dave

    RE the plot twists
    
    I read in the Worcester Telegram that journalists are sworn not to
    reveal the twists, and in that particular article, they kept quiet.
    
    I liked the movie - well paced and overall a good thriller.
    

    The book was excellent and if they keep to the story - should
    be a really good movie but then I have seen how they film
    industry has butchered most of John Gresham's books.
    
    Mo

    Well, I think the whole idea that there is a "secret" to this movie is
    a publicity thing, since the actual twist isn't particularly
    shocking/stunning/what have you.  Certainly it's not a secret as per
    "The Crying Game".  And in fact, I found that the "Big Twist" rather
    lessened the movie somewhat.
    
    Besides all that, it was an interesting film.  A little weak in spots,
    but worth the movie.  I thought the guy who played Aaron did a really
    good job.  
    
    I really like the poster to this movie, not sure why.   (No, it's not
    just the fact there's Richard Gere on it. :)
    
    **.75 out of ****
    
    kim

    Laura Linney is her name...

    Disappointing movie - stupid premise, decent courtroom stuff,
    predictable "surprise" plot twist at the end.  Gere was good, Linney
    was only OK, screenplay was weak.  Seems like the story glossed over
    some spots that needed explanation, maybe left on the cutting room
    floor to bring the film in under two hours.
    
    NAZZ

    Excellent movie - semi-plauseable premise, good courtroom stuff, great
    "twists" at the end ! 'Aaron' and Gere were great, Linney (who is she?)
    was good. Don't leave your seat during this movie...
    
    **** of *****
    
    bill

                                Laura Linney

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Actress filmography
    
       1. Primal Fear (1996) .... Janet Venable
       2. Congo (1995) .... Dr. Karen Ross
       3. Simple Twist of Fate, A (1994) .... Nancy Newland
       4. "Tales of the City" (1993) (mini)TV Series .... Mary Ann
          Singleton
          ... aka "Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City" (1993) (mini)
       5. Blind Spot (1993) (TV) .... Phoebe
       6. Class of '61 (1993) (TV) .... Lily Magraw
       7. Dave (1993) .... Randi
       8. Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) .... School Teacher
          ... aka Innocent Moves (1993)

	I was counting the no. of times the F word was used and I stopped
after say 25. After a couple of times it loses its punch and rather becomes an 
irritation.

	Worth seeing.

***.5/*****

/Jk

    
    
    I am a read only, usually but
    
    I didn't like it very much...
    
    Maybe because I read the book
    first.  The book is, to me,
    more of a psychological drama
    than a court room drama, with most 
    of the interesting plot action centering 
    around the relationships between and among
    the characters.  Their motivations
    were explored more in the book.  
    
    I think in the rewriting they tended 
    to gloss over most of that important
    background info...what Aaron came from,
    how Venable and the Gere character got
    to be what they are, the psycologist and
    her background..all very important.
    
    In the book I liked Venable and Gere (can't
    remember his character's name), in the
    movie I didn't.
    
    I think better screenwriting would have
    made this much better.
    
    I agree with a previous noter re: Grisham's
    books that are transferred to the screen..
    they do a lousy job.  

    I just finished the book, and liked it a lot.  But, after
    reading .12 I'm wondering whether to take the chance of 
    spoiling the experience by seeing the video.....
    
    Sue

    
    	I saw it this morning and thought it was excellent ... I never
    	figured out the ending, but I did catch "the hint" as soon as
    	Gere did.
    

    And, as usual, the book is even better!!
    
    Sue

Rented this this past weekend....

I'm a sucker for sports movies ("Major League" et al.) and courtroom
"drama" (everything from "My Cousin Vinny" to "A Few Good Men"),
so this movie was a lock for me.

I enjoyed it.
It's not so much a "courtroom" movie.  Unlike "...Vinny" and "...Men"
the most important activity doesn't occur in the courtroom, but in 
Vail's (Gere's) investigations and interactions outside court.

The alleged twist at the end raises a question....


If Aaron/Roy was so sharp, how did he get caught in the first place?
He couldn't know that he'd get a decent lawyer.  He'd have to expect
that he'd get an incompetent public defender who'd "lead him to the chair"
as Gere explained when he decided to take on the case.

- tom]