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A Time to Kill

"A Time to Kill" starring Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock & Kevin Spacey is controversial, provocative, timeless, and an instant classic. After his ten-year-old daughter is brutally raped by a gang of white men, Carl Lee Hailey (Jackson) kills the men himself, accidentally wounding a friend of his in the process. In the racially divided South, where the KKK is alive and well, Jake Tyler Brigance (McConaughey) & his legal assistant (Bullock) go against D.A. Rufus Buckley (Spacey) to give Hailey the fairest trial possible.

This movie is artfully-crafted. Its inspiring, commanding speeches are poised and eloquent, without becoming didactic. Each word was obviously chosen to move you with the most power possible.

Every character is dynamic, articulate, and nuanced. I often wonder how McConaughey went from his riveting performance in this film to his canned performances in "The Wedding Planner" and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." Sandra Bullock also hadn’t settled into her rom-com rut and had an impressive presence next to such gifted actors. She and McConaughey’s chemistry was so genuine it even continued off-camera. Spacey thoroughly blurred the line between his true personality and his character’s. He plays on fears, ignorance, and weakness as one of the most ruthless (and, of course, unbeatable) D.A.s in film history.

And Samuel L. Jackson’s performance is award-worthy. He’s brilliant because he doesn’t always make it easy to be on his side. His vigilante crime forced people to re-examine racism in the South, the legal system that might’ve let rapists go free, and the hypocrisy and complexity of people who face these issues daily. He’s volatile, raw, and embodies a protective father pushed to the edge.

This film actually leaves an impression on you, something rare nowadays. I’m ashamed I don’t already own it.

Written by: Katherine E. Webb

Reviewers Rating: 10
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