He does an fabulous job of storytelling and of portraying the problems that African American male defendants have in getting a fair trial before all-White juries.2 the movie opens with the senseless rape of the ten-year-old daughter of a respected African-American family in the northwestern Mississippi town of Clanton. |, May 29, 2019 Only a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman could make things worse--and lo and behold, speak of the devil and Old Scratch appears. “You're my secret weapon,” the black man tells his white lawyer. It's not perfect, but perhaps that's part of its sometimes pulpy joy (and certainly McConaughey's character flaws are part of his charm). Better grab those homemade wigs and gavels, because here comes another ripping, one-size-fits-all slab of legal eaglery from the platinum paperback pen of John "you can buy my collected works at any airport newsagent" Grisham. |, June 14, 2009 Pitch her over the edge. This is one not to pass up and in my opinion is undervalued! Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Two men jump out and grab her. |, September 7, 2011 With Jack Watling, Rona Anderson, John Horsley, Russell Napier. So they pick her up, throw her in the back of the truck and drive out to Foggy Creek Bridge. Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson) is a heartbroken black father who avenges his daughter's brutal rape by shooting the bigoted men responsible for the crime as they are on their way to trial. It snaps and she falls back to the earth. "A Time to Kill," based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham, begins with an act of violence so blunt and brutal that it will single-handedly put the movie off limits for many moviegoers. It includes violence, profanity, racial epithets and a brief but very disturbing rape scene. (Even the crippled deputy blurts out, under oath, that he would have done the same thing.) Don't have an account? I want you to picture that little girl. The plight of Carl Lee Hailey, played well by Samuel L. Jackson, is one anyone can acknowledge, especially those with children. There are a few scenes involving the NAACP's legal defense people, who persuade the local pastor to hold a fund-raiser for Hailey's legal defense--but insist the money be used for a black lawyer. Every character is not only well developed, but the actors playing them make it totally believable. Overall I think the film is a gripping and suspenseful film that is emotionally resonant and moving, if you so much as have a loving heart that is. I want you to picture this little girl. But hold on. | Rating: 4/5 Yes they deserve to die and I hope they burn in hell!! Should be titled "A Time To Kill Whites", or just plain "Kill Whitey" 10/25/10: Jeff Wilder: Easily the best Grisham adaptation. Check out the exclusive TVGuide.com movie review and see our movie rating for A Time To Kill Join / Sign Up Keep track of your favorite shows and movies, across all your devices. Forgot your password? by Ian Nathan | … And then I walked out, and got to thinking about the movie's choices and buried strategies. VIOLENCE/GORE 6 - A few explosions and fires, a few scenes where people are beaten up and terrorized (later we see bruises, blood and scratches on them). He turns to Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey), an untested lawyer, to defend him. Amid a frenzy of … This movie will tug at your heart by taking you on an emotional ride with heartbreak, anger, sadness, and then extreme joy. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. (I will have to discuss certain plot points, so be warned.) “A Time to Kill,” based on the first novel by John Grisham, is a skillfully constructed morality play that pushes all the right buttons and arrives at all the right conclusions. Brigance's summation is well-delivered by McConaughey, but his tactics left me feeling uneasy. |, May 26, 2020 Of course the book is more detailed than the movie however, Grisham does not put that part in the book. The hanging branch isn't strong enough. In A Time to Kill, way long at 148 minutes, they cram in … They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. (Again, be warned I'll discuss plot points.) Copyright © Fandango. The film also has roles filled by Sandra Bullock, Kiefer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland, Kevin Spacey and a slew of other character actors who all lend to the story in a positive way. He discourages her, but she turns up with useful leads, and he needs someone to help him counter the expert local district attorney (Kevin Spacey). First one, then the other, raping her, shattering everything innocent and pure with a vicious thrust in a fog of drunken breath and sweat. "A Time to Kill" is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). But I wonder why it did bore me because the movie was engrossing and entertaining. “A Time to Kill,” based on the first novel by John Grisham, is a skillfully constructed morality play that pushes all the right buttons and arrives at all the right conclusions. A Time To Kill A Time To Kill is a plot driven courtroom dramatic thriller about a man who kills two felonies and pleads a verdict for not guilty. Imagine the noose going tight around her neck and with a sudden blinding jerk she's pulled into the air and her feet and legs go kicking. Read critic reviews. Grisham recently attacked director Oliver Stone, alleging that Stone's “Natural Born Killers” inspired drugged-out creeps to murder a friend of Grisham's. This book is one of Grisham’s best ever however, he left out one major part that I found highly disappointing. Then they urinate on her. The girl's father kills the rapists in cold blood on their way to a court hearing and cripples a deputy in the process. Everyone in the county knows Carl Lee Hailey killed the two men who raped his daughter, and many of them share his feelings. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Grisham should simply be honest enough to recognize that he does the same things he says Stone shouldn't do. A likable -- maybe even lovable -- movie. A Time to Kill ( 1996) A Time to Kill. But “innocent?” Maybe the device of the shouting child was used to avoid such technicalities, and hasten the happy ending. Even Matthew McConaughey, whom I think is one of the worst actors, turns in a solid performance as the struggling lawyer defending Hailey.