MISSISSIPPI, RACE, KKK, TRIAL, RAPE, MURDER...did I miss anything? Two rednecks rape and beat the 10 year old daughter of Samuel L. Jackson, who fears they might get off. In open and broad daylight Jackson guns down the rapists. He is on trial for murder. Matthew McConaughey plays a sympathetic attorney who leads a rag-tag group (including Bullock and Donald Sutherland) to defend Jackson against the prosecuting attorney, Kevin Spacey (with a southern accent) who wants to make a name for himself in his bid for governor. The NAACP attempts to take over the case while an overly represented KKK terrorizes the town. Criticism: The temporary insanity plea is clearly a plea for jury nullification, although the movie never uses that phrase. The town appeared split on the case over racial lines with seemingly no middle ground.
The acting was good and the movie generated emotion. Kiefer Sutherland plays a "bad guy." What flashes through the movie is the genius of of the killer (Samuel L.Jackson) on his ability to manipulate the attorney and others in order to achieve his goal. He is clearly a calculating individual.
The acting was good and the movie generated emotion. Kiefer Sutherland plays a "bad guy." What flashes through the movie is the genius of of the killer (Samuel L.Jackson) on his ability to manipulate the attorney and others in order to achieve his goal. He is clearly a calculating individual.