THE FIXER

US, 1998, 105 minutes, Colour.
Jon Voight, Brenda Bakke, J.J. Johnston, Miguel Sandoval.
Directed by Charles Robert Carner.

The Fixer was written and directed by Charles Robert Carner (the remake of Vanishing Point, Who Killed Atlanta’s Children, Judas). This is a story of a lawyer who is able to fix everything and who is employed by big business and criminal organisations to manipulate the law. After a riding accident, he gets the opportunity to reassess his life, confess to a priest, but is unable to extricate himself from the powers-that-be in his life. Jon Voight is very good in the central role of the lawyer who is a fixer.

1.The impact of this television movie? Moral fable?

2.The Chicago settings, the homes, the legal offices, the countryside? Authentic atmosphere?

3.The issues of crime and punishment? The role of the lawyer, able to fix situations for clients? Bribes and blackmail? Corrupt officials? The consequences of crime? The nature of punishment?

4.Jon Voight as Jack Killoran, screen presence, strong lawyer, the examples of his fixing situations, his dealings with his clients? Their backgrounds? Going riding, the accident? The airport, the papers, covering the murder? The father? His role as a fixer?

5.His clients, the different types? Corruption? Meetings? Plans?

6.The role of the accident, the effect, his being paralysed, the doctors, the monsignor and his not wanting to confess? The healing? His seeing it as a miracle?

7.The conversion experience, his own personal reflections, reassessing his life? His wives? His son? The monsignor?

8.The discovery of the body, the effect on Jack Killoran, the criminals and their plans? The importance of the tapes?

9.The talk with the monsignor – and the death?

10.The taking of Jack, faxing the plan, the tape, the FBI?

11.The court sequences, Jack in court? Skills?

12.His wife, his son, the consequences of his change of heart, pride in what had happened?

13.A moral fable – persuasive, interesting? Moralising?