'A Time to Kill'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Wesley Morris revisit the 1996 legal drama 'A Time to Kill,' starring Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sandra Bullock.
Cast
Matthew McConaughey as Jake Brigance
Samuel L. Jackson as Carl Lee Hailey
Sandra Bullock as Ellen Roark
Kevin Spacey as D.A. Rufus Buckley
Ashley Judd as Carla Brigance
Kiefer Sutherland as Freddie Lee Cobb
Donald Sutherland as Lucian Wilbanks
Chris Cooper as Deputy Dwayne Looney
Oliver Platt as Harry Rex Vonner
Kurtwood Smith as Grand Dragon Stump Sisson
Anthony Heald as Dr. Bass
Patrick McGoohan as Judge Omar Noose
Nicky Katt as Billy Ray Cobb
Brenda Fricker as Ethel Twitty
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Written by: Akiva Goldsman
Notes
- Part of 'Courtroom Month' on The Rewatchables, alongside 'Primal Fear', 'My Cousin Vinny', and '...And Justice for All'.
- $40 million budget; grossed $152 million.
- The movie had 2 Oscar winners at the time of filming (Spacey, Brenda Fricker) but now has 6 (adding McConaughey, Bullock, Chris Cooper, Octavia Spencer).
- McConaughey was dating Ashley Judd when filming began, fell for Sandra Bullock on set, dumped Judd, and dated Bullock for two years. The on-screen love triangle mirrored real life.
- Wesley's core critique: the movie is a 'white savior' film that fails to center the Black family's experience. The ending BBQ 'solving racism' feels hollow.
- Extended discussion of McConaughey's career: came out of this seemingly destined for huge stardom but drifted into rom-coms for a decade before the 'McConaissance.'
- The movie's plot originated from Grisham witnessing harrowing testimony of a 12-year-old rape victim in 1984.
- There's a sequel book (A Time for Mercy, 2020) with McConaughey signed on in development at HBO.
Categories
Quote from Rog's review:
“I was absorbed by A Time to Kill and found the performances strong and convincing, especially the work by Samuel Jackson and Matthew McConaughey. This is the best of the film versions of the Grisham novels.”
- Bill: Jake's final summation/closing statement.
- Wesley: Carl Lee and Jake's jail cell scene ('Yes, they deserve to die and I hope they burn in hell').
- Also discussed: Sam Jackson shooting the rapists; Deputy Looney's 'You turn this man loose' testimony; Carl Lee turning the table on the prosecutor.
- Sweaty Mississippi atmosphere.
- Ashley Judd and Sandra Bullock.
- Kiefer Sutherland as an incredible bad guy.
- Oliver Platt; Anthony Heald as the doctor.
- McConaughey dating Ashley Judd during filming then dumping her for Sandra Bullock (real life mirroring the movie).
The overhead shot after the two rapists are killed on the patriotic seal of the courthouse floor.
Sandra Bullock's character Ellen Roark – drives in on her Porsche, works for free, goes down the road with a married guy, gets tied to a tree and nearly killed, then appears one more time bruised at the end. Feels like 3 scenes are missing.
- Brenda Fricker's Southern accent (she's Irish).
- Needing more Black characters / a white director making this movie.
- Kevin Spacey (both his real-life issues and his hammy performance).
- Drunk Donald Sutherland's unclear accent.
- The dynamite diffusing scene (MacGyver-level ridiculous).
- Bill: His two favorite McConaughey performances both happened before McConaughey was famous ('Dazed and Confused' and this).
- Wesley: McConaughey's hair loss may have affected his career trajectory.
- Bill: This is the hottest Sandra Bullock has ever been in a movie.
- Val Kilmer was originally offered the lead (declined, was doing 'Batman' Forever).
- Paul Newman was offered the Lucian role but found the film's message distasteful.
- Kevin Costner was considered for Jake but wanted complete control (Grisham refused).
- Woody Harrelson wanted to play Jake (Grisham vetoed).
Given to the Sutherland family – Bill picks Donald Sutherland, Wesley picks Kiefer Sutherland.
Candidates: Patrick McGoohan (Judge Noose), John Diehl, Anthony Heald, LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Sam Jackson's real-life wife as Carl Lee's wife).
Chris Cooper as Deputy Looney – 'In like 3 scenes. He's fucking great.' His 'You turn this man loose' courtroom scene. Lone Star was also 1996, the beginning of the Chris Cooper peak.
- Jack Nicholson in the Donald Sutherland part (drunk Southern Jack).
- Replace Brenda Fricker with Sally Field (two years off 'Forrest Gump'). Also mentioned Shirley MacLaine.
- McConaughey originally auditioned for one of the rapists and lobbied Schumacher for Jake.
- McConaughey and Nicky Katt were both in 'Dazed and Confused'.
- $40M budget, made $152M.
- McConaughey – no (Dallas Buyers Club / True Detective era).
- Sam Jackson – no (Jackie Brown, a year later).
- Sandra Bullock – no (The Blind Side Oscar win).
- Ashley Judd – no (Double Jeopardy).
- Nicky Katt villains – yes.
- How does Carl Lee get an 'innocent' verdict (not just 'not guilty')?
- Sandra Bullock smoking. Where did Roark come from / why did she choose this case?
- Ashley Judd has no reaction scene to the house being blown up.
Sequel book A Time for Mercy (2020) with McConaughey signed on in development at HBO.
JT Walsh is notably absent – 'How is he not in this movie?'
- Is Kiefer Sutherland a better bad guy or better anti-hero? (Wesley says better anti-hero.)
- Most loathsome Kurtwood Smith character: head of KKK in this or Neil's dad in 'Dead Poets Society'?
- Do Jake and Carl Lee ever see each other again after the BBQ?
Sandra Bullock's green Porsche.
- Wesley: To Kill a Mockingbird.
- Bill: Green Book.
- Bill: 'White people!'
- Wesley: The exasperating lesson that beating racism requires using racism to your advantage.
Matthew McConaughey – both Bill and Wesley agree.