Possible spoilers...
As a film-maker, Clint Eastwood is able of the best and the worst. "Midnight in the garden of good and evil" (1997) remains generally badly perceived by most of his fans. However, I think it deserves a little better than the mixed reputation although it is not to be ranked among Eastwood's best work.
An adaptation of a best-seller, "Midnight..." can be read both as a judicial movie and a portrayal description. About this second point, the town of Savannah is well highlighted; its Southern atmosphere is particularly enhanced by an original photograph. A little like John Cusack, you are under the fascination of this town with its colorful inhabitants and which bathes in a moist heat. If the inhabitants of Savannah correspond to the description made of them in the film, then truth is stranger than fiction. Beside this description which would be almost worthy of an entomologist, a murder trial takes place. It constitutes the unifying thread of the movie and turns out to be quite gripping in its evolution. Kevin Spacey is accused of having killed his lover Jude Law. In the end, he will give the image of a dishonest man. Indeed, he will prefer to lie about what really happened (he killed Law) and so will be acquitted. Fortunately, the end of the movie is here to remind us the triumph of justice (Spacey will die of a heart attack after his victory). It is the opportunity for Eastwood to confront the notions of good and evil which shows that religion occupies a quite important place in his mind.
That said, Eastwood's opus is not a major work for the following reasons: the main reproach made to the film-maker is that his movie was much too long. I agree with that. Eastwood shot an overlong movie which often drags on. It could have easily been amputated of half an hour. One can also regret that the disclosure of the truth about Law's murder (when Spacey explains to Cusack the real version of the facts) only appears very belatedly in the film as if Eastwood wanted to keep the best till last. On another hand, the cast remains patchy. Eastwood was wrong to give a role to his daughter Alison who almost acts a decorative role. Let's also regret Jude Law in a much too short apparition.
Eastwood's master of making is no longer in doubt but the quoted shortcomings are too important and stop the movie to take its place among Eastwood's best films. To be seen but not to be seen again.
As a film-maker, Clint Eastwood is able of the best and the worst. "Midnight in the garden of good and evil" (1997) remains generally badly perceived by most of his fans. However, I think it deserves a little better than the mixed reputation although it is not to be ranked among Eastwood's best work.
An adaptation of a best-seller, "Midnight..." can be read both as a judicial movie and a portrayal description. About this second point, the town of Savannah is well highlighted; its Southern atmosphere is particularly enhanced by an original photograph. A little like John Cusack, you are under the fascination of this town with its colorful inhabitants and which bathes in a moist heat. If the inhabitants of Savannah correspond to the description made of them in the film, then truth is stranger than fiction. Beside this description which would be almost worthy of an entomologist, a murder trial takes place. It constitutes the unifying thread of the movie and turns out to be quite gripping in its evolution. Kevin Spacey is accused of having killed his lover Jude Law. In the end, he will give the image of a dishonest man. Indeed, he will prefer to lie about what really happened (he killed Law) and so will be acquitted. Fortunately, the end of the movie is here to remind us the triumph of justice (Spacey will die of a heart attack after his victory). It is the opportunity for Eastwood to confront the notions of good and evil which shows that religion occupies a quite important place in his mind.
That said, Eastwood's opus is not a major work for the following reasons: the main reproach made to the film-maker is that his movie was much too long. I agree with that. Eastwood shot an overlong movie which often drags on. It could have easily been amputated of half an hour. One can also regret that the disclosure of the truth about Law's murder (when Spacey explains to Cusack the real version of the facts) only appears very belatedly in the film as if Eastwood wanted to keep the best till last. On another hand, the cast remains patchy. Eastwood was wrong to give a role to his daughter Alison who almost acts a decorative role. Let's also regret Jude Law in a much too short apparition.
Eastwood's master of making is no longer in doubt but the quoted shortcomings are too important and stop the movie to take its place among Eastwood's best films. To be seen but not to be seen again.