charlytully Review of Confess

Confess (2005)

I CONFESS I've Rented Much Better Thrillers Than This

[6/10 · 6 January 2009]

In CONFESS, Eugene Byrd portrays a little man--Terell--with an over-sized chip on his shoulder, anti-social impulses in his blood, and implausible luck allowing him to escape the consequences of whatever wrong-headed fool thing he dreams up next. The rest of the cast--admittedly third-rate with such summer stock as Ali Larter (Olivia) and Barry Sadler (Sen. Lampert, R-SC)--at least manage to keep things consistent by playing down to Byrd's level of non-charisma and ridiculously juvenile line readings. I only rated this an above-average 6 of 10 because the premise anticipates You Tube somewhat, with a pinch NETWORKish angst at gunpoint thrown in. If a group of junior high kids managed the level of production values and acting skills exhibited here, I'd up my rating to an "8" considering their age. But Sadler, for one, is a little long in the tooth to rake in pity points. Terell, an allegedly gifted student with a self-sacrificing white mom (played by Melissa Leo) and a dead black dad (shown only in a family photo), obtains every glitzy dream fulfillment possible through his series of revenge felonies. Twenty minutes into CONFESS, I just wished he'd go into community organizing and have Oprah appoint him U.S. President.