My Review-Rectify A Sundance film
My Rating 9/10
We finished watching the 30th and final episode of this fine 4 part Series tonight and I think it's the most moving and authentic story of what it's really like when a prisoner who has been incarcerated in a gaol for many years and then is released into society with all the prejudices and suspicion that awaits him on the outside. In the case of Daniel Holden played by Aden Young in an astonishing performance cast as the released Prisoner . Daniel's release is even more traumatic as he has spent the last sixteen years from his teenage years to manhood on Death Row where his best friend Kerwin was executed and he himself was minutes away from a lethal injection himself. The modern technology of DNA has led to Daniel's release but not acquittal of the murder and rape charges he was on Death Row waiting execution. If there has been a better argument for abolishing Capitol Punishment I've yet to hear it while watching Rectify I couldn't help thinking how many poor souls have been murdered by the State and later found to be innocent. We've watched Justin Timberlake play a released convict recently in Palmer and he also gives a fine performance but Aden Young is absolutely superb there were acting moments in Rectify that I felt if this had been a feature film instead of a series Aden Young would have to be an Oscar contender he's that good . To be able to stay in character and develop this quietly spoken broken character through 30 episodes and convince an audience of the reality of the trauma and violence real physical and sexual violence that Daniel experienced from the beginning to his release is phenomenal acting. Rectify is not a Prison Drama there are Prison scenes in flashback to explain why Daniel is so damaged and shut off from humanity. Rectify is a journey into this mans psyche it's as though we are inside Daniel or at least his perception of reality as he tries to assimilate back into his family and his community some of whom wish he was executed. Daniel's immediate family are loving and supporting especially his Sister Amantha played by Abigail Spencer and his Mother Janet who is a complex and fiercely protective mother of Daniel and the matriarch of the family and . The casting of J Smith- Cameron in this sensitive role is perfect and her moment in one of the closing episodes touched me as she simply described her son Daniel as in this simple way she says Daniel her son " is wise beyond his years but fully adolescent " a perfect description to my mind . Daniel's stepfather and Janet's husband Ted played by Bruce McKinnon is also impressive in fact everyone is in Rectify. This is great ensemble acting and an impressive creative team with in superb Direction from Stephen Gyllenhaal ,Maggie and James talented father who directed 6 episodes plus 16 others and superb script by Creator Ray McKinnon and 8 writers. Special mention to key characters Clayne Crawford cast as Daniels troublesome Step brother Ted Talbot Jnr and Adelaide Clemens as his troubled wife Tawney Talbot . Also Luke Kirby as Daniels Defence Attorney Jon Stern and Jared Talbot as Daniels younger Stepbrother there's so many excellent performances in Rectify which was first aired in 2013 and the last series screened in 2016 I would have missed it if a friend on Terryard hadn't recommended it ,I'm so grateful to Kenny G for the thumbs up on this thought provoking sensitive at times challenging and fascinating journey of human passions , frailties and injustice . That's the premise of Rectify, a Sundance Channel series that premiered in AprIl 20 2013 . It's set in the fictional Georgia town of "Paulie," Rectify has real Southern roots: Creator and executive producer Ray McKinnon (The Accountant) was born in Adel, Georgia, and filmed the series in Griffin, just south of Atlanta. It amazes me that Rectify won only one major television award The Peabody Award in 2015. It should have won every major television drama award it deserved to don't miss it.
We finished watching the 30th and final episode of this fine 4 part Series tonight and I think it's the most moving and authentic story of what it's really like when a prisoner who has been incarcerated in a gaol for many years and then is released into society with all the prejudices and suspicion that awaits him on the outside. In the case of Daniel Holden played by Aden Young in an astonishing performance cast as the released Prisoner . Daniel's release is even more traumatic as he has spent the last sixteen years from his teenage years to manhood on Death Row where his best friend Kerwin was executed and he himself was minutes away from a lethal injection himself. The modern technology of DNA has led to Daniel's release but not acquittal of the murder and rape charges he was on Death Row waiting execution. If there has been a better argument for abolishing Capitol Punishment I've yet to hear it while watching Rectify I couldn't help thinking how many poor souls have been murdered by the State and later found to be innocent. We've watched Justin Timberlake play a released convict recently in Palmer and he also gives a fine performance but Aden Young is absolutely superb there were acting moments in Rectify that I felt if this had been a feature film instead of a series Aden Young would have to be an Oscar contender he's that good . To be able to stay in character and develop this quietly spoken broken character through 30 episodes and convince an audience of the reality of the trauma and violence real physical and sexual violence that Daniel experienced from the beginning to his release is phenomenal acting. Rectify is not a Prison Drama there are Prison scenes in flashback to explain why Daniel is so damaged and shut off from humanity. Rectify is a journey into this mans psyche it's as though we are inside Daniel or at least his perception of reality as he tries to assimilate back into his family and his community some of whom wish he was executed. Daniel's immediate family are loving and supporting especially his Sister Amantha played by Abigail Spencer and his Mother Janet who is a complex and fiercely protective mother of Daniel and the matriarch of the family and . The casting of J Smith- Cameron in this sensitive role is perfect and her moment in one of the closing episodes touched me as she simply described her son Daniel as in this simple way she says Daniel her son " is wise beyond his years but fully adolescent " a perfect description to my mind . Daniel's stepfather and Janet's husband Ted played by Bruce McKinnon is also impressive in fact everyone is in Rectify. This is great ensemble acting and an impressive creative team with in superb Direction from Stephen Gyllenhaal ,Maggie and James talented father who directed 6 episodes plus 16 others and superb script by Creator Ray McKinnon and 8 writers. Special mention to key characters Clayne Crawford cast as Daniels troublesome Step brother Ted Talbot Jnr and Adelaide Clemens as his troubled wife Tawney Talbot . Also Luke Kirby as Daniels Defence Attorney Jon Stern and Jared Talbot as Daniels younger Stepbrother there's so many excellent performances in Rectify which was first aired in 2013 and the last series screened in 2016 I would have missed it if a friend on Terryard hadn't recommended it ,I'm so grateful to Kenny G for the thumbs up on this thought provoking sensitive at times challenging and fascinating journey of human passions , frailties and injustice . That's the premise of Rectify, a Sundance Channel series that premiered in AprIl 20 2013 . It's set in the fictional Georgia town of "Paulie," Rectify has real Southern roots: Creator and executive producer Ray McKinnon (The Accountant) was born in Adel, Georgia, and filmed the series in Griffin, just south of Atlanta. It amazes me that Rectify won only one major television award The Peabody Award in 2015. It should have won every major television drama award it deserved to don't miss it.