BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
US, 2009, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Metcalf, Amber Tamblyn, Michael Douglas, Joel David Moore, Orlando Jones.
Directed by Peter Hyams.
This legal thriller is adapted from a 1956 drama directed by Fritz Lang where a newspaper man sets up a situation to incriminate himself to expose an exploitative lawyer. It starred Dana Andrews. More than 50 years later, genre film director, Peter Hyams, has remade it with DNA evidence as the key issue for a would-be governor winning murder trials.
This time the journalist is a documentary maker with his eye on a Pulitzer Prize. He is played with supreme self-confidence, even when his expose plan starts to go wrong, by Jesse Spencer. Michael Douglas is the public figure prosecutor with ambitions. Amber Tamblyn is his assistant – who becomes emotionally and professionally involved with the young man who puts himself in legal harm's way to make a name for himself.
If you accept that this is a rather far-fetched story, you will accept the rather melodramatic events, car chases, murders, incriminating photos and evidence planted – and be glad of the comeuppance to the crooked lawyer. The film suddenly becomes a story in a hurry towards the end, but provides us with a twist that most audiences would certainly not be anticipating.
1.A remake of the 1950s film? The update to the 21st century? The background of television programs like the CIS series?
2.The title, the language of the law, beyond doubt for good, for ill? Circumstantial evidence? The creation of evidence?
3.The Shreveport setting, the background of the corrupt Louisiana governors? The atmosphere of Louisiana?
4.The focus on C.J., his television presence, interviews and programs, his initial program about the derelict woman, its success? His watching Mark Hunter, seeming admiration? The issues of DNA in court? His collaboration with Finlay? The discussions with his superior and the proposal about exposing Hunter? The investigation? His persuading Finlay for his scheme, to be tried for murder, to manufacture the evidence, to trap Hunter when he used this evidence? His attraction towards Ella, her working for Hunter, going out with her, the meals, the relationship? His ambitions for the Pulitzer Prize?
5.Mark Hunter, the Michael Douglas character, his speeches in the court, campaign for governor, his interview after the hearing, the talk about justice? His associate and the criminal background?
6.The case, the finding of the body, the information to the police, C.J’s plan, buying all the necessary background things, the knife, the dog, keeping the receipts? The man selling the dog thinking that Finlay and C.J. were a couple, giving this evidence later? The knife and the tattoos? Finlay filming everything? Hiding the original, in the bank vault?
7.Ben Nickerson and his work, C.J. getting information from him, giving him the tickets? The resentment? Nickerson and his following up his suspicions, with Hunter’s associate, rescuing Ella in the car park?
8.C.J. and the drink-driving, the arrest, Ella coming to the prison, his being re-arrested, asking Ella to trust him?
9.The case brought to the court, the circumstantial evidence, the audience on his side? The introduction of the DNA? Finlay and the cue for him to get the film, going to the bank, the woman and her being gossipy? Finding his apartment ransacked? Hunter’s assistant in the car, the chase sequence, the crash, Finlay’s death? Chris denouncing Hunter? The failure of the film to be presented? His going to prison?
10.Ella and her research, checking the altered photos, going to the shops and checking on the receipts? Hunter and his associate coming to her, her investigating the computer, their threats? Her producing the photos – and Hunter’s arrest?
11.The photos, the image of the hand, recognising the hand from C.J’s documentary, Ella deducing the truth?
12.The confrontation between Chris and Ella, the confrontation, his having created the perfect murder? His arrest?
13.The realism of the plot, far-fetched? The justice issues – melodramatically explored?
