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Information

Year
2019
Runtime
112 min.
Director
Chinonye Chukwu
Genre
Drama
Rating *
6.5
Votes *
0
Checks
234
Favs
4
Dislikes
1
Favs/checks
1.7% (1:59)
Favs/dislikes
4:1
* View IMDb information

Top comments

  1. Tasselfoot's avatar

    Tasselfoot

    My issue with this film is that I just don’t care about the emotional toil of a prison warden. She made her choice to participate and be a leader of that system.

    I want to care about the story of the death row inmate, but the movie doesn’t tell me that tale. Pity.
    5 months 3 weeks ago
  2. Siskoid's avatar

    Siskoid

    When there's an execution at a prison, is it just another work day for the warden? Part procedural, part psychological drama, Clemency has it rather weighing on Alfre Woodard's character. And by saying "rather", I'm downplaying a strong, naturalistic performance. The point of view is mostly hers, but sometimes shifts to Aldis Hodge's man on death row, a man possibly falsely accused, and moving from hope to despair while he waits for his day. Supporting roles for Richard Schiff, Wendell Pierce and Danielle Brooks... there's a lot of acting power on the screen. Despite the pretty strict realism, the title might give you hope as well that the Governor will make that call, but there's a bleakness to how things unfold that makes you doubt it, all of which puts you in the characters' head space. Thematically, a lot of the characters are at the end of their particular ropes and there's absolutely no sense that we're glorifying the death penalty, nor do sentimentality or didactics expose the film's point of view. Things just are, with consequences. 11 months 1 week ago
  3. BadFluffy's avatar

    BadFluffy

    I really don't know what to make of this one. I understand the director's reason for such a slow pace as it underlines the heavy slow crushing of human life by the unrelenting Death Penalty Machine. I don't have a problem with the pace.
    The acting was excellent, in parts, mostly on Woodard who probably would have garnered well deserved awards out of this, had it been a higher profile "indie" by a big Hollywood studio subsidiary instead of such a small production. Yes, it takes money to get people nominated for awards. Hodge was way less interesting. He seems to be acting in bursts and feels completely invisible when he's not sobbing or screaming, which could also be an acting choice but leaves little to pull you in most of his scenes.

    And yet with all this going on, it still feels like the movie is a miss. Even with the force of Woodard's performance, her character still feels underdeveloped and vague. In fact she conveys more through perfect stillness and a downcast eye during the end scene, than the script manages with dialog and empty scenes for the whole movie.
    3 years 8 months ago
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In 1 official list

  1. This movie ranks #40 in Sundance Film Festival - Grand Jury Prize
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