Conviction (2010)

****

This is the first film as part of the 'Mystery Movie Monday' screenings that I try to make it to each week. I have a plan to try and get to at least 30 of these this year.

Don't get me wrong this film is a real slow burner, but given the true story content it's entirely forgivable.
If you were a fan of Winter's Bone I think you will like what's on offer here. That received a lot of praise and rightly so, but I was never that blown away by it as others were.

For those of you who are not familiar with the story, I won't spoil anything that isn't already mentioned in the plot and trailer. The film is about Kenny Waters (Sam Rockwell) who has been wrongfully imprisoned of murder, and his sister Betty Anne (Hilary Swank) who will stop at nothing to prove her brother's innocence, even if it means occasionally neglecting her own life.

Hilary Swank puts in one of her finest performances and Sam Rockwell is his ever impressive self. Empire gave this film 3 stars and says that it works but only in a TV movie kind of way. If it wasn't for the two major stars at the centre of the film, I could agree with that but I honestly think that they take this wonderful tale to a new level.

It's a very powerful and moving film, and one that I hope people will appreciate if you can invest in the story and running time. I hope i'm right in saying that fans of Winter's Bone will also take to this this.