I've seen this movie/miniseries once or twice now and it just gets better with every viewing.
The cast is perfect and the acting uniformly superb.
The best part is that this is a true story and is based on a true historical murder case.
One small problem is that dramatic license has been taken in the telling of certain aspects of the reality which I think detracts from the overall quality a bit. Not really enough to do any serious damage to the film but personally I prefer films that are based on true stories to be absolutely faithful to all aspects of that story. That is my own personal preference. I realize that some parts of the story, namely the lynching and the aftermath of it were horrifying as well as gross but I also think that portraying those elements just as they occurred in history would have made this film an even more powerful movie than it already is.
Throughout the history of the cinema there have been antiwar films and anti vigilante films that did not moderate their violence, brutality, savagery and explicitness. Such filmmakers usually are criticized for dwelling on the violence and the grim details. But in my opinion it is precisely those same elements that elevate a mediocre or good film to epic classic stature. Make no mistake. This is by no means a mediocre film. I just wish this film had not been as squeamish as some of those other movies. A minor complaint, I grant you. But still very worth seeing! A must-see for fans of great cinema.
The cast is perfect and the acting uniformly superb.
The best part is that this is a true story and is based on a true historical murder case.
One small problem is that dramatic license has been taken in the telling of certain aspects of the reality which I think detracts from the overall quality a bit. Not really enough to do any serious damage to the film but personally I prefer films that are based on true stories to be absolutely faithful to all aspects of that story. That is my own personal preference. I realize that some parts of the story, namely the lynching and the aftermath of it were horrifying as well as gross but I also think that portraying those elements just as they occurred in history would have made this film an even more powerful movie than it already is.
Throughout the history of the cinema there have been antiwar films and anti vigilante films that did not moderate their violence, brutality, savagery and explicitness. Such filmmakers usually are criticized for dwelling on the violence and the grim details. But in my opinion it is precisely those same elements that elevate a mediocre or good film to epic classic stature. Make no mistake. This is by no means a mediocre film. I just wish this film had not been as squeamish as some of those other movies. A minor complaint, I grant you. But still very worth seeing! A must-see for fans of great cinema.