Category Archives: Based on true facts

2010, Based on true facts, Conspiracy, Feel Good Not For Children, Lawyers, Nudity, Police Story, Prison, Underdogs win, Violent

Conviction (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Convinced that her brother, Kenneth (Sam Rockwell), has been unjustly convicted of murder and incompetently defended by court-ordered attorneys, high school dropout Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) puts herself through law school in order to represent him in his appeal. Inspired by a true story, director Tony Goldwyn’s stirring drama also stars Melissa Leo, Minnie Driver, Peter Gallagher and Clea DuVall.

Miscarriages of justice, at least for me, are always compelling stories. Of course, you know that the film would not have been made if events had not turned out well for Kenneth Waters.

Read about about the history in the Wikipedia article. There you will also find mention of Martha Coakley, Attorney General of Massachusetts. In the film she comes off very badly. Hearing her name so often during the film was almost a shock. Read about her reaction to the film in the same Wikipedia article. Politicians always know the right thing to say.

Warning: Although the film is eventually a feel-good, getting to the end is a real roller-coaster of setbacks. At the very least, I can only admire the incredible and inspiring fortitude of Betty Anne Waters.

Do NOT miss the final frames which explain in text how things turned out after Kenneth got out of prison. Also the Wikipedia article has some follow through.

My biggest disappointment was that the corrupt woman Ayer police officer, Nancy Taylor, who framed Kenneth could not be prosecuted due to the Massachusetts statute of limitations.

2010, Based on true facts, Comedy, Complicated, Computer geeks, Docudrama, Drugs, Lawyers

The Social Network (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Director David Fincher’s biographical drama chronicles the meteoric rise of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from Harvard sophomore to Internet superstar, examining his relationships with co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Winning Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Director, the film also racked up Oscar nods in the same categories and for lead actor Eisenberg.

Despite some comments that I have heard about the difficulty of following this fast-paced, fast-talking plot, you don’t really have to understand any of the geek talk to appreciate the film.

You owe it to yourself to read at least the “Reception and Response” section of the Wikipedia article which basically says we should take this film more as an entertainment than as accurate history. In fact, the Wikipedia page praises Zuckerberg through quotes of people who really know him. And forget the “Harvard as one big sex orgy” picture that tries to come through: Hollywood strikes again!

But in the end the film is a fun roller coaster ride with tinges of sadness.

2006, Based on true facts, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Military, Nudity, War

In the Valley of Elah (2006)

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From NetFlix:

When exemplary soldier Mike Deerfield (Jonathan Tucker) disappears after returning from Iraq, his concerned father (Tommy Lee Jones, in an Oscar-nominated role) — a retired sergeant — works with gutsy police Det. Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) to investigate. Writer-director Paul Haggis based his script on events reported by Mark Boal in a Playboy magazine article. James Franco, Josh Brolin, Jason Patric and Susan Sarandon also star.

As you will learn in the film, the valley of Elah is where David killed Goliath.

Having seen a mediocre film starring Tommy Lee Jones (In the Electric Mist (2008)), I was pleased that this film, also starring Tommy Lee Jones, was so amazing.

Let there be no doubt: this is an anti-war film. But it is perhaps the most subtle anti-war film I have ever seen. There is no preaching, rather the characters speak for themselves, and it is a scary spectacle indeed.

For me the most unsettling moment comes when Corporal Penning (played to perfection by Wes Chatham) non-confesses to a horrible crime. That is to say, he describes in a completely non-emotional manner what he did and then adds my pet-peeve phrase “Sorry for your loss”. Other reviews have labeled this character as having evolved in Iraq into a sociopath suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

To understand the factual basis for the film, you should read the Wikkipedia article.

Other themes abound in the film: sexist resentment toward Detective Sanders (admirably played by Charlize Theron), father-son relations, military cover-ups, turf wars, etc.

Often I complain of the style of acting in which the actor does not emote, but rather expects the audience to guess what that character is thinking at that moment. Call it lazy acting. However, this style is used to great effect in this film and avoids the flaw of preaching.

Please enjoy something that Theron does well, namely: she is constantly battling male sexism, bureaucratic cover-ups, etc. But in several scenes she summons her courage and speaks out with a steely stare. However, just as soon as her adversary turns away, you can see her insecurity steal back into her eyes. Wonderful! Watch her interact not only with her pension-oriented boss but also with a powerful confrontation with Lt. Kirklander (Jason Patric).

And yes it took me some time to convince myself that it really was Jason Patric playing Lt. Kirklander as a military bureaucrat intent on protecting the army from bad publicity. Time flies!

Primarily because it is done so well (and secondarily because it addresses the effect of war on our young military) I urge you to see this film.