A Time to Kill (1996)

A Time to Kill (1996)

 

8/10

Starring

Sandra Bullock

Samuel L. Jackson

Matthew McConaughey

 

Directed by Joel Schumacher

 

A Time to Kill reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird, except this movie is far less tame and much more violent. A Time to Kill puts you on the side of the murderer (Carl, played by Samuel L. Jackson), making you ask yourself: if you were him, would you do the same?

The movie boasts very convincing performances from its lead cast—Matthew McConaughey (as Jake), Sandra Bullock (as Ellen), and Samuel L. Jackson. This is a film crafted well enough to absorb you and hold you captive for the long ride. The power of the movie lies in how it keeps you on the edge of your seat. While it’s not fast-paced, it’s thoroughly intriguing. The lawyers are always on their toes, trying to win the case while also fighting to survive the dangerous circumstances surrounding it. Their lives are constantly at risk, which reminded me of another film, In the Heat of the Night (1967), starring Sidney Poitier. Similar to this movie, Poitier’s character faced constant danger while trying to solve his case.

This John Grisham adaptation of his 1989 book of the same name is, to me, one of the best adaptations of his work. The movie begins with a couple of young white men causing trouble in a Black neighborhood. They’re drinking heavily and acting like a menace, and you just know they’re about to do something they’ll regret—or worse. What they end up doing is far worse than you could imagine.

On their way to wherever, they spot a 10-year-old Black girl walking home and abduct her. They rape her, beat her, and attempt to kill her. She survives, but this is Mississippi in the 1980s, where racism is deeply entrenched, and these men believe they have the right to do whatever they want to Black people. Carl, the girl’s father, comes home to learn what has happened to his daughter. Devastated, he seeks out Jake, a lawyer who had helped his brother in the past, to ask about the chances of these men—now arrested—getting off with little more than a slap on the wrist. Jake tells him the chances are high.

Taking matters into his own hands, Carl decides to act. He does something equally horrific, though I’d argue his actions don’t compare to the monstrosity of what these men did—but that’s subjective and depends on who you ask.

Carl’s actions lead to his arrest, and he faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty. He hires Jake as his lawyer, and together they begin the fight to save Carl. However, Jake’s work isn’t going to be easy. The racist KKK becomes involved, and although Jake is white, he and his family become targets. Their lives are in constant danger, and Jake is lucky to survive some of the attacks, though his colleagues aren’t so fortunate.

The movie centers on Jake’s struggle as he juggles his own safety, attends to his friends and colleagues, and fights to save Carl’s life.

A Time to Kill was a commercial success and is a movie worth watching more than once.