True Crime (1999)Plot In A Paragraph: An alcoholic journalist (Eastwood) tries to uncover the evidence that can prove a death row inmate's innocence just hours before his execution?I always enjoy this movie when I watch it, but it's not one I rewatch often. It was a little uncomfortable seeing Clint hit on all the young women (watching a 69 year old man kissing a 24 year old girl was just cringe worthy) and his acting (usually above reproach) is unusually off at times!! Especially the scene when he finds out the reporter died. Isiah Washington is great, as is Lisa Gray Hamilton, Dennis Leary is good and James Woods is his usual brilliant self. I forgot Michael Jeter (whom I adore) was in it, I didn't remember Lucy Lui was in this either.The movie was a failure at the box-office grossing only $16 million (less than half of its production cost) making it Clint Eastwood's second worst performing picture of the 1990s after White Hunter Black Heart (1990). It ended 1997 as the 94th highest grossing movie of the year.

True Crime is a very mediocre film with a reasonably developed storyline and a terrific cast. The performances are certainly the highlight, the characterization for the majority of cast members is superb, with some very inspired acting from Clint Eastwood playing a character very different from his usual roles, the best scenes were the ones between him and Isaiah Washington, they are intense, emotional and the only parts that gave me any bit of a thrill. It shouldn't have been advertised as a thriller or a mystery, it shouldn't have been given the name True Crime, because with those genres and that title attached to it, you're going to expect to be put at the edge of your seat, some high level intensity with many exciting moments, and none of that is evident here, it mostly consists of the characters, normally just two, in a room together, talking, whether or not the performances are good, there comes a time when this simply becomes boring. There isn't as much conflict as there should be in this film either, Eastwood's character always has hope that he will crack this case, there's never really a moment where he loses it, a scene where he hits rock bottom and it dosen't seem like there's any way he can come out of it, this should be evident in every movie, but Eastwood seems to get his way far too often that it is unrewarding once the conflict is resolved in the end. Terrific performances sadly aren't enough to save a boring movie, and I wouldn't recommend True Crime to anyone. A journalist comes across new evidence that helps a man on death row. Best Performance: Clint Eastwood Worst Performance: Denis Leary

The book has huge tension and builds drama throughout. The actions of the accused and the witness recounts in the movie make the guy look much more guilty than the book. Clint is famous for removing dialog and "extra" stuff from the screenplay, but this stripped down version has little of the "clock is ticking" tension and the witnesses are actually doing their best rather than embellishing to just convict the guy the police and prosecutor have pegged. The characters are not as well defined by the dialog or the direction/editing. The motivations and intensity of the characters is lacking as well.That said the movie is good, but a huge let down from the book.

TRUE CRIME has the potential to be a powerful thought experiment, exploring the psychology behind the perception of what True Crime truly is. Aside from implicit racism, no real issues are broached in this dialog-driven Clint Eastwood actioner. From an Andrew Klaven novel, TRUE CRIME is merely the tale of a wrongly-convicted murderer on death row, Frank Beechum (played stolidly by Isaiah Washington) and curmudgeon reporter, Steve Everett's (Eastwood) 11th-hour hunt for the truth to grant his stay of execution.The question of what criteria constitutes True Crime is never raised. The plot involves a young black man robbing a grocery store and accidentally killing the pregnant female clerk, while Beechum happens to be in the store. Beechum is convicted for the crime on the tried-and-true Whitey charge of "Being Black And Nearby." To really bite at the meat of the movie's title, we would be exploring who is more of a criminal: the robber-murderer, or the congressperson whose mismanagement of social policy created the necessity for the robber to turn to crime for survival in the first place.In other words, is the bottom rung of society to blame for their survival instincts, when those instincts are only brought into prominence because white-collar criminals create a disparity of wealth in society to begin with? Well, slap a little racism in there - keep the deep thinkers at bay. For a second.There are a few too-convenient plot points and pulp coincidences, and we shudder to think how a less talented director might have made a mush of them. Only Eastwood directing Eastwood can get away with contrivances like Everett knowing the governor personally and later calling in a favor in the dead of night when the clock is ticking down; only Eastwood directing Eastwood can make sexagenarian Everett a convincing skirt-chaser, involved with a fellow reporter's (Denis Leary) wife. Only Eastwood directing Eastwood, Etc.For the simple story it is, TRUE CRIME hits its marks and pays off: dialog is snappy, especially the uber-masculine repartee between Eastwood, James Woods (as his editor) and Denis Leary; the principals give nuanced performances - Lisa Gay Hamilton as Washington's loyal wife, Diane Verona as Everett's estranged wife, Michael Jeter as a slimy eyewitness; Bernard Hill as a sympathetic warden and Michael McKean as a boneheaded priest. Eastwood's real-life daughter, Francesca Fisher-Eastwood (from ex-wife Frances Fisher), plays his cute little daughter.--Review by Poffy The Cucumber.