Trial by Fire

The director of Blood Diamond and The Last Samurai serves up a little-known courtroom-prison drama that definitely has power. The talented Edward Zwick takes a strong true story, puts in unknown actors to add authenticity, and it works. The main character is sentenced to death in Texas for burning his own children, and the viewer doesn't know until the last moment whether he is guilty or innocent. I enjoyed the trial (although there is less of that than I would have liked) and the prison setting is brilliant – the hazing by the guards is appropriate given the seriousness of the crime. The second half focuses on the woman trying to prove his innocence with a gripping collection of evidence (the crime line works) and a delightful unexpected finale where tissues are definitely a must. A solid little known film that deserves more attention. Story 4/5, Action 0/5, Humour 0/5, Violence 1/5, Fun 4/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 3/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 2/5, Emotion 4/5. 8/10. (2021.08.22)

Before Laura Dern came on the scene, I didn’t expect much from Trial by Fire. I had the feeling that it wouldn't deviate from the standard template according to which movies about people on death row are usually made. But then the real story of Cameron Todd Willingham began to interest me more and more, until I finally found myself waiting with bated breath to see how it would turn out. The final denouement, in which the largely dysfunctional judicial system played a key role, hit me quite hard. (70%) (2022.04.09)