This adaptation of the John Grisham novel stars Chris O'Donnell as Adam Hall, a Chicago attorney who becomes determined to save the life of his grandfather, Sam Cayhall (Gene Hackman). You see, Sam is a lifelong bigot who was convicted in 1980 of the bombing of a Jewish lawyers' office, which killed the lawyers' two young sons in the process. Adam knows Grandpa is a rotten piece of work, but some sense of family loyalty compels him to defend the man, and use every legal means at his disposal.
Overall, "The Chamber" is not a bad film at all, really. It's very slick Hollywood stuff with an experienced director (James Foley, "Glengarry Glen Ross") at the helm. It's also pretty manipulative (talented composer Carter Burwell gives it a soaring score that really tries to tug at your heartstrings), and does everything in its power to soften and humanize Sam as much as possible. It also introduces that time-honoured element of "the other guy" involved in the bombing, an ultimate evil designed to make Sam look positively decent in comparison.
Of course, his character is still the type certain to provoke knee-jerk reactions from viewers, and in reality, his is the type of character whom the world won't really miss when he dies. As Adam probes into the case, he opens the cliched "can of worms", opening old family wounds, and driving Sams' socialite daughter Lee (Faye Dunaway) to drink, etc. Adam also gets assistance from Nora Stark (a radiant Lela Rochon), an employee in the governors' (David Marshall Grant) office.
This being a Hollywood feature, it explores those themes of villains "being products of their environment", showing how Sam was born into and taught a life of extreme racism, and the drawbacks of the death penalty. Ones' personal feelings on these matters may affect how they feel about the film.
In any event, the cast is just fine. O'Donnell is earnest, managing to not get *completely* blown off the screen by old pro Hackman. Also co-starring are sports legend Bo Jackson, in a creditable performance as a Death Row guard, Robert Prosky, as the senior partner at Adams' firm, Raymond J. Barry, as a nasty racist pig, Nicholas Pryor, as the judge, Harve Presnell, as the district attorney, Richard Bradford, as an ex-FBI agent, Millie Perkins, as the bombing victims' wife / mother, and Jane Kaczmarek, as a psychiatrist. Hackman is really the main reason to watch, giving us a sullen protagonist who's compelling to watch despite the instinctive revulsion one would feel for such a man.
Certainly watchable, for any fan of legal dramas and thrillers, this capably tells a decent story and maintains interest for the better part of two hours.
Six out of 10.
Overall, "The Chamber" is not a bad film at all, really. It's very slick Hollywood stuff with an experienced director (James Foley, "Glengarry Glen Ross") at the helm. It's also pretty manipulative (talented composer Carter Burwell gives it a soaring score that really tries to tug at your heartstrings), and does everything in its power to soften and humanize Sam as much as possible. It also introduces that time-honoured element of "the other guy" involved in the bombing, an ultimate evil designed to make Sam look positively decent in comparison.
Of course, his character is still the type certain to provoke knee-jerk reactions from viewers, and in reality, his is the type of character whom the world won't really miss when he dies. As Adam probes into the case, he opens the cliched "can of worms", opening old family wounds, and driving Sams' socialite daughter Lee (Faye Dunaway) to drink, etc. Adam also gets assistance from Nora Stark (a radiant Lela Rochon), an employee in the governors' (David Marshall Grant) office.
This being a Hollywood feature, it explores those themes of villains "being products of their environment", showing how Sam was born into and taught a life of extreme racism, and the drawbacks of the death penalty. Ones' personal feelings on these matters may affect how they feel about the film.
In any event, the cast is just fine. O'Donnell is earnest, managing to not get *completely* blown off the screen by old pro Hackman. Also co-starring are sports legend Bo Jackson, in a creditable performance as a Death Row guard, Robert Prosky, as the senior partner at Adams' firm, Raymond J. Barry, as a nasty racist pig, Nicholas Pryor, as the judge, Harve Presnell, as the district attorney, Richard Bradford, as an ex-FBI agent, Millie Perkins, as the bombing victims' wife / mother, and Jane Kaczmarek, as a psychiatrist. Hackman is really the main reason to watch, giving us a sullen protagonist who's compelling to watch despite the instinctive revulsion one would feel for such a man.
Certainly watchable, for any fan of legal dramas and thrillers, this capably tells a decent story and maintains interest for the better part of two hours.
Six out of 10.