Director: Alan Parker
Genre: Drama/
Crime/ Thriller
Runtime: 130
minutes
Year:
2003
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney, Gabriel Mann, Matt Craven, Rhona
Mitra, Jim Beaver, Melissa McCarthy
Description: A man (Kevin
Spacey) against capital punishment is accused of murdering a fellow activist
and is sent to death row.
Review: David Gale is an ardent opponent of the death penalty. From his position
as a renowned professor, he reaches quite a few people with his message. To this
end, he is also a member of the non-profit organization Death Watch. One day,
however, circumstances throw a spanner in the works. Gale is accused of raping
and murdering his fellow activist Constance Harraway and ends up on death row
himself. Three days before his execution, Gale agrees to an exclusive interview
with reporter Elizabeth “Bitsey” Bloom. Bitsey soon learns that there is more
to the assignment than she had imagined and that this man’s life is in her
hands. Risking her life, she makes frantic efforts to piece together the
shocking events surrounding the murder before it’s too late.
The death penalty has been a
hot topic of political and social debate for decades, particularly in the United
States. This is one of the few countries where the death penalty is still
actively practiced. “The Life of David Gale” unmistakably has a political message
and its position is against. However, this is not thrown in your face. The film
is not a political pamphlet. The message is cleverly integrated into the
overall narrative.
Kevin Spacey plays the
titular David Gale and was third choice after George Clooney and Nicolas Cage.
In retrospect, this is a stroke of luck, as Spacey is convincing and intense as
ever. He puts down a layered character, keeping you in the dark for a very long
time about his morals, motives and what exactly happened. Kate Winslet must
meet a high bar to reach this level, but this experienced actress certainly
holds her own. She is a bit more one-dimensional and less colorful than Spacey,
but Spacey character simply gets more room to explore. After all, in the end,
everything revolves around David Gale and the other characters are the extras
needed to shape the whole thing. For a thriller, it is important that it is
exciting. “The Life of David Gale” surely succeeds at that. The journey is just
as important as the destination, but that twist is really good. As a thriller,
the film doesn’t really excel cinematically. But because of the strong cast and
overall story, the film is one to remember.
Rating: 3/
5
