True Crime, directed, produced and starring Clint Eastwood promised to be a lot more than it is. The story is about a young father who has been put on death row, subject to lethal injection in only a few short hours, and a journalist (Eastwood) determined to prove his innocence.
The opening hour of the film is devoted to setting the scene and to be honest is done very poorly indeed. There were certainly times when I really could not bear to stay tuned in and thought bed was a clear winner! The character of Steve Everett, played by Eastwood is, lets say, in a mess: his wife is staying with him for the sake of their young daughter, looking for opportunites to throw him out and his career is going very much down the drain. If Everett manages to prove that the guy on death row is innocent he could run the exclusive story in his paper and well, the state of his career would be a lot healthier.
The second half of the film concentrates on the story which could make or break his career. Fortunately for me the film now decides to improve itself and is far more watchable. I guess I made the right decision in not going to bed. Will Everett succeed in saving his job, and more importantly his marriage? Will Frank Beachum (Washington) be proved innocent in time to be saved from death? More importantly, will anyone succeed in getting through the first hour without yawning?
All in all, some very poor acting at times makes a promising film suddenly seem not that good after all. Verdict: If you're desperate. |
