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High Crimes is a new thriller/military courtroom drama. Unfortunately there's nothing new about it.
It stars Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman, and while both are good as usual (Freeman continues to be effortlessly charming and dynamic on-screen), the plot is extremely standard. Even if you've only seen a couple of these kinds of flicks, the turns in the story will be obvious from about two reels away. Jim Caviezel, Amanda Peet, Adam Scott and Bruce Davidson co-star, and while everyone is cast appropriately and does their darndest, there's absolutley nowhere to go. Perry Mason had more intersting cases.
Director Carl Franklin, who had such an impressive breakthrough with the small but very effective independent flick One False Move and the strong but poorly-received (for some strange reason) follow-up Devil in a Blue Dress, likewise has nothing to work with. The story is told cleanly and efficiently, but it's such cliched and tired material who could possibly care?
This is one of those film experiences where I sat in the audience just hoping beyond hope that it would turn into something special. After the lights came up after one predictible anti-climax after another, I had to realize it just plain isn't special. Oh, well.
Grade: C
It stars Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman, and while both are good as usual (Freeman continues to be effortlessly charming and dynamic on-screen), the plot is extremely standard. Even if you've only seen a couple of these kinds of flicks, the turns in the story will be obvious from about two reels away. Jim Caviezel, Amanda Peet, Adam Scott and Bruce Davidson co-star, and while everyone is cast appropriately and does their darndest, there's absolutley nowhere to go. Perry Mason had more intersting cases.
Director Carl Franklin, who had such an impressive breakthrough with the small but very effective independent flick One False Move and the strong but poorly-received (for some strange reason) follow-up Devil in a Blue Dress, likewise has nothing to work with. The story is told cleanly and efficiently, but it's such cliched and tired material who could possibly care?
This is one of those film experiences where I sat in the audience just hoping beyond hope that it would turn into something special. After the lights came up after one predictible anti-climax after another, I had to realize it just plain isn't special. Oh, well.
Grade: C
__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra
only, neither one are playing near here and I don't have the money to go see either. I'm saving up for, ahem, May 3rd. 
