Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)
Genre: Drama / Mystery
Duration: 105 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Peter Hyams
Stars: Jesse Metcalfe, Michael Douglas and Amber Tamblyn
IMDb score:
5,8 (14.516)
Releasedate: 5 February 2009
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt plot
"Why would a man frame himself... for murder?"
To demonstrate the relativity of the judicial system, a journalist accuses himself of a crime. He produces all kinds of evidence for that. His colleague is the only one with the evidence to the contrary, but when he dies in a traffic accident, he is sentenced to death.
Actors and actresses
C.J. Nicholas
Ella Crystal
Mark Hunter
Corey Finley
Ben Nickerson
Lieutenant Merchant
Martin Weldon
Gary Spota
Judge Sheppard
Taieesha
Reviews & comments
John Lee Hooker
-
- 14934 messages
- 1625 votes
Reasonable court.
Pretty fun plot: a journalist who finds out that the prosecutor in the room is corrupt and has already convicted 17 innocent people. It's a shame that the necessary clichés reappear, mainly caused by Ella.
Michael Douglas fits perfectly in this role, he really is such a secret guy.
I found it quite surprising that Corey Finley (without d) including the evidence suddenly got blown up. The plan was to drill Hunter into the ground, but it was all stopped by that stiff Lawrence Beron. The bullying Ella in the parking garage was also quite exciting, even though you know that a woman will probably survive.
It went too fast when CJ was acquitted and Hunter was convicted, not handled smoothly at all.
The ending could have turned out differently for me. Bit of a shame that one photo still ruins it for CJ, while he still achieved a great performance.
On my DVD cover it says the running time is 78 minutes, a bit strange by the way.
Not great, but looks good.
Translated from Dutch · View original
des1
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- 1737 messages
- 993 votes
Hyams is an experienced director, but this feels like a routine job with an outdated way of directing, like those dialogueless cutscenes that have to string the story together in the beginning. The protagonist does not come across as credible, is not the journalistic ferret type, but more of an ice hockey player. It's a shame because the film's premise is worth it. I assume all the money went into renting Michael Douglas. Movie is terribly slammed. Cost 25 million to make, didn't bring in 4 million in ticket sales. You bet it's not that easy to get someone convicted as suggested in the movie. But you will not see or hear anything from the deliberations of the jury with regard to a reasonable doubt. The surprise ending comes like margarine after the fish. Meager 2.5 star.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Peter Pan
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- 281 messages
- 667 votes
And it happened again, only this time unexpectedly, because the film was already about 12 years old. The hint of "I don't know this movie at all" did pass, but despite that, I still kicked it again....
In large letters and in the center at the top:
"MICHAEL DOUGLAS"
But this is like Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson (only 10 years earlier), not a movie with Michael Douglas as the lead actor, but a movie in which he "plays along"....
The film starts briefly with Douglas and then continues with CJ and his somewhat clumsy mate Finley, who has to bring some sort of comic note that is totally inappropriate. As a result, the tension immediately disappeared.
The story of the film is very interesting and it could just be a topper, but unfortunately it is very poorly developed.
The acting is also of a mediocre level, except for the few scenes in which Douglas plays, that remains a top actor and probably also the reason why he is listed large on the cover.
Precisely because of the interesting story, you remain curious about the course and just when you are really fed up, the film takes a different turn and it seems to be something with even quite a bit of tension.
The tension manages to last until just before the end, after which the film returns to its previous level and "suddenly" ends very easily. At least for a moment, because suddenly there is another plot twist.
But a very mediocre one and one of the most quickly resolved and superfluous of its kind.
This last twist actually only makes the film worse and completely destroys the role of Michael Douglas.
Very unfortunate, so much more could have been done with better actors and such a script, because the interest in the course was certainly present.
Maybe almost a 5, but not more than:
1,5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
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