THE INNOCENT
US, 1993, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kelsey Grammar, Polly Draper, Dean Stockwell.
Directed by Mimi Leder.
The Innocent is a police thriller, executive produced by Kelsey Grammar, giving himself a key role as a cynical detective, grieving after the death of his young son and the divorce from his wife. There are some criminals on a murder spree in the city, and the witness to one of the killings is a young autistic boy. The film shows Grammar trying to persuade the boy to communicate some witness evidence of the killings, which he eventually does through accurate drawings. He also clashes with the boy's guardian, played by Polly Draper. Dean Stockwell plays the frustrated police chief.
The film moves as expected, Grammar calming down, talking with his ex-wife, bonding with the boy, wanting eventually to adopt him, mellowing the antagonistic guardian. The film shows the violence in American society, the pressure put on the police, the melodrama associated with the fear that the criminals instil in witnesses. Director Mimi Leder was working on E.R. and moved to telemovies like this before moving into feature films with The Peacemaker then Deep Impact and Pay It Forward.
1. Entertaining police thriller? Crime and detection? Telemovie material? Familiar?
2. The title, the focus on Gregory, the autistic boy, the discussions about autism and its effect on the brain, on personality, on attention, on communication, on living in an isolated world, of being drawn out by others? The young boy as the innocent witness to the killings?
3. The city settings, the streets, the stores, the robberies and violence, the homeless? The contrast with the home for the autistic boys? The guardian's home, the police precinct? An air of realism for the melodrama?
4. The introduction to Gregory, seeing the bird, with Pamela, his way of speaking, focusing, attention? On the street, with the homeless man, with the woman in the shop? The violence of the crime and his hiding? Witnessing? His being at the home, with Pamela, in the hospital? Her shielding him? Barlow and his attempts to communicate with the boy? The boy and his bonding with Barlow, friendship, outings? Unable to give the evidence? The idea for the drawings, the accuracy, the arrest of the criminals? Their not being able to be held because of the evidence of an autistic boy? Barlow noticing the figure of the vagrant on the streets witnessing the killing?
5. The character of Barlow, at work, tough, his relationship with Jason, working under pressure? The crime scene? Assigned to Gregory, the hospital, trying to communicate, the antagonism of Pamela? His perseverance, outings, bonding? The friendship, the exasperation? The drawings? The need for police protection, the finale with the criminals walking free, menacing Pamela and Gregory, the chase, the shooting? His facing the bullet from the killer and being saved by Jason? His wanting to adopt Gregory, Pamela's wise advice about Gregory's needs and for a full foster family? The final fishing scene and saying goodbye? What Barlow had done for Gregory? What Gregory had done for Barlow?
6. Pamela, guardian, unable to have children, her skill with Gregory? Her protection of him, antagonism towards Barlow, the hospital? The various outings, the pressure by the police? The drawings, her satisfaction? Being pursued and threatened? Saved?
7. Jason, the police precinct, the harassment by the politicians? The frustration at thriller killers?
8. The killers, the violence of the crime, indiscriminate killing, enjoying it? Their talking and planning? The bigger one dominating the smaller? The next crime, their being arrested, spurning the police, being allowed on bail? Menacing Gregory and Pamela in the house, the chase, their deaths?
9. The violent world of crime in the streets? Compared with the need for care for the innocent young boy?
