WHERE THE TRUTH LIES

US, 1999, 90 minutes, Colour.
Marlee Matlin, Regina King.
Directed by Nelson Mc Cormick.

Where the Truth Lies is a murder mystery. What seems like a political assassination, turns out to be a quite complex, even convoluted plot. The film opens with a hotshot lawyer returning to Memphis, her home town, as a national celebrity. She is played by Regina King (Jerry Maguire, Scary Movie 2). Marlee Matlin portrays a florist businesswoman in the city who is leading the campaign for her surrogate father, a doctor, to stand for the senate. That evening, the senate candidate is murdered, with the florist at the house. The complication is that the florist is deaf. (As played by Marlee Matlin who won an Oscar for her role as the deaf woman in Children of a Lesser God; other vehicles have been structured to take account of Marlee Matlin's being deaf, for example Dead Silence, Bridge to Silence, Hear No Evil.)

When she is arrested for the murder, the lawyer plans to defend her. However, she puts various impediments in the way, making it very difficult for the defence. The lawyer herself has a past with the prosecuting DA.

The ending is surprising, with the whole plot being conceived by the florist with the aid of her unobtrusive interpreter who actually did the murder. He is finally arrested - and she will not help him. She escapes scot-free, leaving a rather unpleasant taste at the end of the film which one has to admire because of its ingenious plotting.

1. Entertaining murder mystery? Investigation? Trial? Twist in the end?

2. The Memphis setting, the city itself, old world, politics, affluence, business, the legal world? Musical score?

3. The title - and its direct focus on characters and themes?

4. The strength of the plot and the writing? Audience interest in the characters, believing Karen, not believing her, questioning her motives? Expecting her to have been the mastermind of the plot or not? Her use of her sign interpreter?

5. The opening, Lilian Rose as a hotshot lawyer, the black woman returning to Memphis as a national celebrity, her record, seeing her in the limousine, arranging cases? Her agreement to give support to the senatorial candidate, appearing on the platform? Welcome by Karen and Michael?

6. The focus on Karen, successful businesswoman, her support of Morgan? Going to his home, the conditions for Lilian Rose's support of him and the transferring of the case to another judge? Her being in the house, his murder, her discovering it, her ringing for help, cradling him? As seen by the neighbour? The car hurtling away? The police, the examination, her having handled the knife? Police suspicions? Audiences thinking that they were overbearing?

7. Her arrest, the discussions with Lilian Rose about defending her? Her hesitation, her wanting the truth, the various talks between the two women, Karen and her not revealing the full truth, especially about her relationship with Morgan's son, Billy?

8. The woman and the pro-life campaign, threatening the senate candidate's life? The police talking with her and her standing her ground? Penny Morgan later seeing her, blackmailing her to stand out of the campaign?

9. The investigation, the witnesses, especially the man looking out the window, the police not questioning him and bringing him back, in the court, his difficulty of seeing the fingers without his glasses, yet Lilian Rose helping the jury to see that he could see in general?

10. The various witnesses, the testimonies? Audience reaction? The role of Billy Morgan, his affair with Karen, this being visualised? His alibi of saying that he was with Karen on the night of his father's death? Whether to bring up the affair in court, the decision of the DA, of Lilian Rose and her manipulating it?

11. His being interrogated in court, the information about the will, his relationship with Karen, with his wife, political ambitions? His having appeared on television to declare his candidacy instead of his father? His appearing as a family man?

12. Penny, her ambitions, public appearance, knowing of the affair? Her ringing the police and giving the files of Karen's letters when she was undergoing therapy? Her pressurising the pro-life woman? The discussions with Lilian Rose? Hard, ambitious? Audience suspicions on her as the killer?

13. The background story to Karen, orphan, being looked after by Dr Morgan, the relationship with Billy, her pregnancy, it being terminated? The evidence coming to light?

14. The plea and the court, the speeches, the tactics of the prosecutor, the tactics of the defender? The judge?

15. The build-up to reasonable doubt, the discussions about the car, the skid-marks? Lilian Rose and her wariness? Her assistant and his thorough investigations?

16. Karen being freed? Lilian Rose and her continued suspicions? Confronting Karen after the shop had been shut? The truth about Michael, people overlooking his presence, his being the killer for Karen? Her decision to leave him high and dry and his arrest?

17. A well-made thriller, murder mystery, investigation, trial?