A man against capital punishment is accused of murdering a fellow activist and is sent to death row.A man against capital punishment is accused of murdering a fellow activist and is sent to death row.A man against capital punishment is accused of murdering a fellow activist and is sent to death row.
- Awards
- 3 nominations
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFilming of a death penalty protest scene at the Texas State Capitol was briefly disrupted by the arrival of a group of real political protesters.
- GoofsWhen the kids are playing in the swimming pool full of mud, the sign on the entrance is supposed to be in Spanish, but most of the words are misspelled and no sentences make sense.
- Quotes
David Gale: Fantasies have to be unrealistic because the moment, the second that you get what you seek, you don't, you can't want it anymore. In order to continue to exist, desire must have its objects perpetually absent. It's not the "it" that you want, it's the fantasy of "it." So, desire supports crazy fantasies. This is what Pascal means when he says that we are only truly happy when daydreaming about future happiness. Or why we say the hunt is sweeter than the kill. Or be careful what you wish for. Not because you'll get it, but because you're doomed not to want it once you do. So the lesson of Lacan is, living by your wants will never make you happy. What it means to be fully human is to strive to live by ideas and ideals and not to measure your life by what you've attained in terms of your desires but those small moments of integrity, compassion, rationality, even self-sacrifice. Because in the end, the only way that we can measure the significance of our own lives is by valuing the lives of others.
- ConnectionsFeatured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Kevin Spacey Performances (2014)
On death row awaiting execution we are about to find out if that death penalty law is fatally flawed. The audience is shown in flashbacks exactly what happened and for that part of the movie it is a mystery with an investigative reporter following up with help from an exclusive interview with the condemned.
The Director's dark cynical style is somewhat restrained here, but this film is more about a cause than an artistic cause celeb. It is an obvious anti death penalty slant and uses melodrama to make its point.
It is a well acted, well written story and is about more than it seems. There are other things going on here that are much more personal than a political and social controversy of religion vs humanism. It touches on infidelity, parental custody, alcoholism, martyrdom, euthanasia, sexism, lost causes, betrayal, and obsession.
The movie has humor and heart, a noble attempt and a righteous rant on a law (capital punishment) that is obviously morally controversial, but is also not the law in some States. That seems to be the answer the narrative is presenting. If we as a Nation can't agree on something as final as putting someone to death by the authorities, than we as a Nation should error on the side of caution.
- LeonLouisRicci
- Nov 21, 2012
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Cuộc Đời Của David Gale
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $38,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $19,955,598
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $7,117,225
- Feb 23, 2003
- Gross worldwide
- $38,955,598
- Runtime2 hours 10 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1