Like many people in their retirement years, Robert Redford's biggest pastime is writing letters to the editor. Unfortunately, his letters are two hour films. The Conspirator could have been a lot more than Redford ranting about injustice, but, unfortunately, it isn't. The story is told in a very heavy-handed sort of way, with no subtleties or grey areas. You never feel that this is an objective account of the trial of Mary Surratt. In addition, much of the movie is padding, making it fairly dull. Also, if you know your Civil War history, as I do, you know how the movie is going to end, meaning that there is no intrigue, and a sense of inevitability about it all.Decent performances though, especially from James McAvoy.

Having visited historical sites like Lincoln Memorial and Ford's Theater, "The Conspirator" was a history lesson in itself. Previously, i had known very little outside of the fact when President Lincoln was shot and who shot him(John Wilkes Booth). Many parts of the movie hit home and drew my interest right from the start as i was eager to know what happened post assassination. The setting is set from the onset of the film through the busy streets of Washington D.C. It remains set there while the story of the trial of conspirators is investigated and told. Allowing viewers to get an idea of how Washington D.C looked in the Civil War Era. By the end of the movie,I realized it was much more than just the passing of President Lincoln. Also, I began to feel superior in my knowledge of the political aspects of justice, injustice, and most importantly revenge. The plot was elaborate and many were involved. The lime light focuses on the accusation of the involvement by Mary Suratte in the plan to kill Lincoln. The director (Robert Redford) and producers did an excellent job in portraying geographic filming location while also maintaining factual validity. Although the movie is strongly about finding justice for the Lincoln assassination, the film does not fail to address events that occurred with the attempted assassinations on the lives of Secretary of State WIlliam S. Seward and Vice President Andrew Johnson. The roles and excellent performance of actors such as James McAvoy, Robin Wright, and Tom Wilkinson helped support the film plot of events occurring 150 years ago. This can be attributed to the masterful casting by Executive producers and director Robert Redford. Although the court understood someone had to pay, I took comfort in knowing the importance producers took in mentioning but also challenging the morality of the constitutional rights we were, and still are guaranteed tracing back to the Civil War Era. Personally, This is a great informational movie for people of all ages. Immense political action, and important plot twists left me intrigued throughout the movie. Instant classic, regardless of how unsuccessful the "The Conspirator" was in the box office.

The Conspirator is a 2010 historical drama film directed by Robert Redford based on an original screenplay by James D. Solomon. It is the debut film of the American Film Company. The film tells the story of Mary Surratt, the only female conspirator charged in the Abraham Lincoln assassination and the first woman to be executed by the United States federal government. It stars James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood, Jonathan Groff, Tom Wilkinson, Alexis Bledel, Kevin Kline, John Cullum, Toby Kebbell, and James Badge Dale.[2][3] The Conspirator premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2010[4] followed by a special premiere screening on March 29, 2011 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. Another premiere screening was held on April 10, 2011 at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., the site of the assassination. The United States theatrical release took place on April 15, 2011, the 146th anniversary of the death of President Lincoln. The film was released in Canada on April 29, 2011 and was released in the UK on July 1, 2011. Lionsgate Home Entertainment released the DVD and Blu-ray on August 16, 2011.[5][6] Nice filmed / Intriguing story / Spanned / Nice decor and costume / History

This started off as if it would be really good because of an interesting premise, a good cast and high production value but the film failed to deliver.The story is told from the point of view of a former Union soldier turned lawyer, played by James McAvoy with an out of place English accent, as he must defend a woman implicated in the assassination plot of Abraham Lincoln. He is conflicted by his want for revenge and his belief that all people deserve a fair trial. The difficult relationship between these two characters, one Union and one Confederate, in a wider sense symbolises the process of the country coming to terms with peace after the hard fought American Civil War. McAvoy wants to give in to his desire for vengeance and 'swift justice' but is also aware that principles are only worth something if they are followed when it is difficult to do so. The restriction of civil liberties and the slippery slope that can follow highlighted here is relevant to increasing concerns over privacy in the 21st century which gives the film some substance. While highlighting this is a noble aim I think the film would have been better served by focusing on the victim of this injustice rather than the lawyer. I mildly enjoyed the recounting of the story without ever really investing emotionally which for me is the films main problem.