How far will you go to promote a cause you believe in? What will you sacrifice --- your job, your friends, your family?When all is said and done, how far is too far?
These are the questions raised in the recently released suspense film, "The Life of David Gale." The movie chronicles the story of David Gale (Kevin Spacey), a philosophy professor and anti-death penalty activist sitting on death row for the murder of a fellow activist. The movie shoots back and forth between flashbacks of Gale's life, as told to magazine reporter Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet), and Bloom's desperate present-day attempt to discover the true story behind the grisly crime.
Bloom travels to Texas --a state notorious for its high number of executions -- upon the request of Gale himself.Gale wants to spend the three days leading up to his scheduled execution narrating his tale to Bloom in a last-minute attempt to clear his good name for the sake of his son.Bloom enters the situation confident in her belief that Gale is guilty, but soon finds herself so immersed in his cause that she takes it upon herself to find the true murderer and free the innocent Gale.
Whether or not you have a strong opinion on the death penalty issue, this film is sure to raise moral questions in the mind of the viewer. How far is too far to go when fighting for a cause you are passionate about? Where does fervency end and extremism begin? What and whom should be sacrificed for the sake of a cause?
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of these questions is that the movie does not answer them. The decision is left entirely to the viewer.And let me warn you, if this movie strikes you as deeply as it struck me, you will be thinking of these issues long after the credits have rolled.
A notable weakness of the film was the violent flashing of a series of words relevant to the issues of the plot onto the screen several times between scene changes. This attempt to intensify the visual effects of the movie definitely detracted from the power of the rest of the film. The device seemed over-the-top andunnecessary.
Apart from that distraction, I thought this film was extremely well done. Gale is a very real, sympathetic character that the audience cannot help but care about. He is a man who loses everything -- his job, his friends, his family -- only to be wrongly accused of a crime that lands him on death row. Bloom, initially depicted as a big-city, know-it-all paparazzi, turns vulnerable and human when faced with the task of clearing Gale. Spacey performs his role with the usual flawlessness. Winslet, with an American accent, proves herself worthy of the suspense heroine role. Laura Linney ("The Truman Show") and Gabriel Mann ("The Bourne Identity") make up a significant portion of the talented supporting cast.
A warning to the tenderhearted: this film is not easy to view. The moments that will make you cover your eyes or choke-up definitely outnumber those that will bring a smile to your face. But please don't let this deter you from partaking.
This is a film that most definitely is worth the time and money to see.
Although certain plot twists are foreseeable, the movie will leave you in a state of reflection long after it is over. So go ahead, challenge yourself and go see "The Life of David Gale."
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
