The Chamber
Time is running out.
O'Donnell stars as idealistic young attorney Adam Hall who takes on the death row clemency case of his onetime Klansman grandfather, Sam Cayhill. With just 28 days before the execution, Adam sets out to retrace the events leading to the crime for which Sam was convicted. As the impending death sentence looms closer, Adam works quickly to uncover the family's history for any hidden clues. In a white-knuckle series of twists and turns, Adam discovers deceptions and dark secrets that ultimately lead him to the startling truth.
Member Reviews
somewhat of a letdown - imagination201
Up till the end, I really, really wondered how it would all end, and when the conclusion arrived... it was a big let down... I expected a surprising twist or an unexpected turn of events, but instead... the movie simply followed its course to a sad ending...
I don`t like sad endings that are about political manipulations getting the upper hand...Weakest Grisham Film Adaptation - Now There's a Scary Thought - Gregg
Young lawyer (Chris O’Donnell) wants to handle the death row appeals of his estranged grandfather (Gene Hackman) an admitted Klansmen who was found guilty of the bombing of a Civil Rights lawyer’s office that claimed the lives of the lawyer’s two young sons.
The film is plodding with lousy writing, weak direction and wooden performances, a few rousing moments later on but they are too few and far between. A solid performance by Hackman as the death row inmate but it doesn’t match the power of Sean Penn’s performance in “Dead Man Walking” a year earlier in a comparable role.
It’s surprising to see that William Goldman adapted the screenplay as he has written some wonderful screenplays including; “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, “All the President’s Men”, “Misery” and “Marathon Man”, some were adaptations of others work and some his own. Apparently Goldman was unsatisfied with the re-writes to his original drafts and never saw the film. Even the director James Foley has been responsible for good films including; “At Close Range” and “Glengarry Glen Ross”.
For me this has to the weakest Grisham adaptation I have yet seen on film, which may come as a scary thought to some people. Grisham has himself stated that this was the adaptation of his work that he least liked.The book was better - Radio_Jane
Okay, I know I know, the book is nearly always better but usually the film has enough merits to stand on its own. This was made back when everyone thought that Chris ODonnel was the next big thing, and he is not in character at all in this film. Hackman has almost got his character down, but not quite. I like legal dramas, but this one really wasnt worth it.
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somewhat of a letdown - imagination201
Up till the end, I really, really wondered how it would all end, and when the conclusion arrived... it was a big let down... I expected a surprising twist or an unexpected turn of events, but instead... the movie simply followed its course to a sad ending... ...Weakest Grisham Film Adaptation - Now There's a Scary Thought - Gregg
Young lawyer (Chris O’Donnell) wants to handle the death row appeals of his estranged grandfather (Gene Hackman) an admitted Klansmen who was found guilty of the bombing of a Civil Rights lawyer’s office that claimed the lives of the lawyer’s two young sons.
The ...The book was better - Radio_Jane
Okay, I know I know, the book is nearly always better but usually the film has enough merits to stand on its own. This was made back when everyone thought that Chris ODonnel was the next big thing, and he is not in character at all in this film. Hackman has ...