Death penalty is one of those socio-political issues that separate the USA and Europe more widely than the Atlantic Ocean, soccer, and suffering Iraqi children ever could. Despite various opinion polls finding Europeans and Americans more or less equally supportive of this ultimate form of criminal justice, American political establishments seem to be more aware of the divide than their European counterparts. Hollywood also understands the popularity of the death penalty among movie-going audiences, often choosing to ignore this issue in commercially-driven films. When it is addressed, Hollywood tends to side with what is more profitable at the box office, sometimes sacrificing plot twists and surprises for a broader appeal. Just Cause, a 1995 thriller directed by Arne Glimcher, falls into this category.
The screenplay, penned by Jeb Stuart and Peter Stone, is based on the novel by John Katzenbach. The protagonist, Paul Armstrong (portrayed by Sean Connery), is a Harvard law professor whose legal expertise is matched only by his vocal opposition to the death penalty. After 25 years of teaching, he decides to put his practical skills to good use when he learns about Bobby Earl (played by Blair Underwood), a young black man on Florida's death row, sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a young white girl. Earl claims innocence, stating that his confession was coerced through brutal police tactics. As Armstrong delves deeper into the case, he uncovers layers of corruption and deceit, realizing that the real killer may still be at large.
Just Cause had the potential to explore themes of the death penalty and race relations in the New South while remaining an engaging thriller. However, the scriptwriters primarily used these elements as plot devices, attempting to compensate for a formulaic storyline burdened with a predictable twist. Despite the presence of talented actors, the film falls short of its potential. Sean Connery's portrayal of a mild-mannered Harvard scholar turned action hero lacks conviction, while Ed Harris's over-the-top performance as a psychopathic character fails to match the intensity of Hopkins' in The Silence of the Lambs. On a positive note, Laurence Fishburne delivers a compelling performance as a black detective, adding depth to an otherwise clichéd narrative. However, his efforts are not enough to rescue Just Cause from its inevitable descent into cinematic obscurity.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
(Note: The original text was posted in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on August 15th, 2002)
Watch the trailer here.
Check out the blog in Croatian here and in English here.
Support my work by using the Brave browser here.
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
I didn't see this movie (I'm going to take the opportunity to download it) but I did read a few years ago (when I was still living in Italy) the book by John Katzenbach on which the film is inspired.
I really liked the book, especially the ending. Let's see if the movie lives up to the book.