By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Robert Redford
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood | James McAvoy | Justin Long | Kevin Kline | Robin Wright | Tom Wilkinson
Country: united_states
Year: 2011
Running time: 122
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0968264/
Thom says: “Two must-see actors, a passing interest in Redford films (his QUIZ SHOW was my #1 film of 1974!), & the noteworthy cast drove me to a theatre to see this & I’m glad I did. Certainly while I knew Abraham Lincoln’s killer to be John Wilkes Booth, and knew that he was part of some vague conspiracy, I knew little about the nefarious assassination. Well, it turns out that many of the men involved in the evil plan and one woman were actually tried and executed after being found guilty. I admired Redford’s point-of-view that the woman, Mary Surratt, was unjustly convicted and a terrible miscarriage of justice was a blight on the fairness of the political courts. Surratt lived with her son and daughter in a Washington, D.C. boarding house which she also ran and where the traitorous men planned the attacks on Lincoln and other government figures. Only the one on Lincoln was actually carried out ‘successfully.’ After it was decided that the trial would be held in a military court a Union hero was assigned the task of defending Surratt. Surratt is mainly brought to trial to lure her fugitive son to surrender, or so we are told. McAvoy in a mature and difficult role scores as Surratt’s lawyer (who accepts the job convinced she’s guilty). He’s really going to be able to direct his career on any path he wants with this stunning addition to his curriculum vitae. Robin Wright once again shows us why she is considered one the best screen actresses in America in playing the depressed, almost pitiful Surratt,
a strict Catholic, and totally inflexible. While believing in Redford’s final aim I’m not so certain that Surratt was quite as guiltless as presented here. The film definitely paints an ugly portrait of Union military and government officials, even Vice President turned President Andrew Johnson (but then when wasn’t he finally impeached?). I loved Alexis Bledel as McAvoy’s uptight fiance, proving that her rather simpering character in ‘Gilmore Girls’ was acting. A thoughtful and provocative film. By the way, the missing son was finally caught years after his mother’s death and was found non-guilty in court!! 4 1/2 cats”