CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Married Baby Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Allissa .Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

demondetox "A Time to Kill" (1996)This isn't just any movie, filled with the A-League of Hollywood. This isn't just a story well written and brought to screens.The summary for this movie sounds so... simple. "In Canton, Mississippi, a fearless young lawyer and his assistant defend a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his 10-year- old daughter, inciting a revolt by local racist groups."What this summary doesn't tell you, is, that 'A Time to Kill' is one of the most heartbreaking, soul-shattering and mind-tearing movies you could ever watch.The novel, with the same title, by John Grisham​ from 1989 was already almost too much to bear and it took every ready many tears to cope with the pain this story caused. Not a second of the novel - or the movie - goes by without the reader/watcher sobbing and fighting back the gasps of shock.Now, watching the story being told by the most talented people the movie industry has to offer is exactly the kind of cinema we have been missing for so many years.These days, Hollywood doesn't know how to make movies anymore. Back in the 90's they sure as hell ripped us apart from the inside out with amazing stories like this one.Instead of writing terrible scripts, they should invest more time reading and finding such diamonds like "A Time to Kill" by John Grisham.

sinisterene This movie is the film adaptation of John Grisham's A Time to Kill. Some would (inevitably) argue that the book is better but I won't because both are pretty bad. I will make the case for the film being better merely because the acting had more emotion than the novel.According to Wikipedia "The inspiration came from the case of the rape and assault of 12 year old Marcie Scott and her 16 year old sister Julie Scott. Unlike Grisham's depiction, however, the Scotts were white and their assailant, Willie Harris, was black." which is hilarious when you consider the defense's closing argument "now imagine she's white."Only in the realm of fiction could the plot of this movie happen.There's an iconic scene by Samuel Jackson so I'll give it 2 stars.

Robert W. This is the sort of film that I am certain in 30 or 40 years will be considered a classic. Even if you ignore the fact that it is a terrific cast full of familiar faces and stars that went onto to be superstars, the story and the concept and the writing and the ethical and moral dilemma that comes out of this will be talked about for decades. Grisham created one of the best legal thrillers ever and who better because the man practically created the genre. Translating it to the big screen would be no small feat but I think they went a step beyond and captured the book and the characters very nearly flawlessly. The film runs a little long, I'm not sure given that it is technically a "thriller" moreso than a drama that it should feel like it drags just a little bit but I can't fault them for making sure the characters and idea is fully developed. The best thing to come out of A Time To Kill is the dialogue. The script for this film written by Akiva Goldsman is brilliant and masterful. He has done some great screenplays (we'll forgive him Batman and Robin and Lost In Space) but this is truly one of his best. Fortunately for him he also had some incredible actors delivering the lines.Matthew McConaughey is perfect as the struggling lawyer Jake Brigance. No one can play down to earth better than McConaughey and his charisma is brilliant on screen. He also plays a darn good lawyer. His closing speech is one of my favourite scenes in film. Samuel L Jackson perfectly plays the father who murders his daughter's rapists in cold blood. Jackson is emotional and moving in his role and the chemistry between he and McConaughey is very good. There are such incredible actors in this film and the one criticism I can give the film is that I feel like once you move away from the main cast, some of the supporting cast doesn't get the screen time they could have or deserve. Kevin Spacey is good but underused as the cocky DA Rufus Buckley and Sandra Bullock is feisty and fun and a very strong female lead but underused in her role. Oliver Platt who was always good for the sarcastic, fun but serious looking supporting character does exactly that in this film. Donald Sutherland is also terrific as Brigance's mentor but I wanted to see more of him. Kiefer Sutherland couldn't be better playing the smarmy and evil looking brother of one of the dead rapists. Ashley Judd is sort of flash in the pan as McConaughey's wife.This was Joel Schumacher at his best. He was a great director at one time but has slipped in recent years. This was a great example of the sort of vision he once had. He captures the racial tension of the deep south perfectly. You can just feel the air of tumultuous politics. Despite being a courtroom battle, the film is more about the racial battle happening outside the courtroom. The case and situations gives rise to a brand of the KKK and puts Brigance's life in danger and those in his life around him in danger as well. The opening scenes of the film are literally hard to watch, one of the most disturbing rape scenes in film and yet not because its graphically done or shown in poor taste but rather you feel and sense the danger and horrible act that is being done to a defenceless little girl. A Time To Kill is terrific. Its more art than entertainment because of the concepts behind it but if you love legal drama, thrillers, courtroom battles or just a very good film then this is one to see. 8.5/10

eric262003 There are a lot of deeming factors that makes "A Time to Kill" one of the most important films to watch. It's not a film for entertaining purposes by any means of the imagination. This intriguing story stars Samuel L. Jackson playing the part of Carl Lee Hailey, a vengeful African-American man who killed two rednecks who raped and nearly killed his young daughter Tonya (Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly). It all comes down to rookie hotshot lawyer Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) to prevent Mr. Hailey from either serving a long-term prison sentence or worst, be put to death. The acting in "A Time to Kill" well performed, by rather large ensemble of terrific thespians. The leading performances of McConaughey and Jackson were both very engaging and quite colorful and a bit disturbing at times. The supporting performers turn in some very compelling roles and movie the film along quite nicely. Kevin Spacey shines as the prosecutor who might be a likable or a hateful character at times. But his charisma as a performer is something everyone respects of him. Sandra Bullock was brilliant as Brigance's assistant and law student, Ellen Roark. Kiefer Sutherland was excellent as the unashamed bigoted, vengeful minded brother of one of the rapists who was killed by Hailey, Freddie Lee Cobb. To wrap up this all-star cast includes Charles S. Dutton, Donald Sutherland, Chris Cooper, Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt and Patrick McGoohan and a cameo from M. Emmet Walsh. I'm not a racist by any means, but the philosophy that the KKK stated is not all that ignorant or narrow-minded by any stretch of the imagination. In fact it is pretty well documented. As a member of the human race, hate is placed in each and every one of us. Racism is not just formed in the KKK or the Nazis, skinheads or the iconic bigot himself Archie Bunker. Bigotry is in all of us. If a person is dressed differently, we laugh at them. If a person does things in his-her ways, we ostracize them. If you have a birthmark in an obvious place on your body, we insult the person. Everyone is capable of delivering hatred, it is in all of us, no one is safe from the wrath and hatred we inflict on each other. There's a lot to like about "A Time To Kill", but the message delivered here does not do any justice at all. I strongly oppose taking the law in your hands or relying on underhanded tactics like murder just to get even with someone. If this was based on a true story, I think it would be unjustified if they ended up acquitting Carl Lee Hailey. I expect law and order to be handled in very unbiased perspective with no excuses. Hailey's tactics was cold-blooded and unnecessary. He should have sued these rapists in court before going out on a killing spree. I'm sorry for what happened to his daughter and he has every right to be angered by the whole situation, but he is not entirely innocent for what he did.Another wonderful adaptation of John Grisham's novel beautifully directed by Joel Schumacher. It's a fascinating courtroom drama with wonderful performances and film that will have you pondering for ours giving your thoughts and opinions of those around you. I just don't encourage people to get even with someone, by taking revenge in your own hands but doing something regretful or let alone exposing those who do.