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Movies / On DVD / A Time to Kill
A Time to Kill

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A Time to Kill (1996)

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Reviews Counted:11

Fresh:8

Rotten:3

Average Rating:6.8/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 30 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: This adaptation of John Grisham's bestseller takes place in the small town of Canton, Mississippi, where two White rednecks kidnap, rape and savagely beat a young Black girl. The men are caught,... This adaptation of John Grisham's bestseller takes place in the small town of Canton, Mississippi, where two White rednecks kidnap, rape and savagely beat a young Black girl. The men are caught, but the child's deeply enraged father, Carl Lee Hailey, takes justice into his own hands by killing the thugs himself at the courthouse. Now Carl Lee Hailey is the one on trial, a highly controversial and fiery proceeding that begets numerous racial issues and incidents, some involving the Ku Klux Klan and the NAACP. At the center of this storm is White lawyer Jake Brigance, who not only faces an all-White jury, but personal attacks on his life should he win the case. Brigance, Hailey and Ellen Roark, a rich law student aiding Jake, face a tough road ahead of them, one that will change their lives forever. [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Sandra Bullock

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Sandra Bullock, Charles S. Dutton, Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt, Brenda Fricker, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, M. Emmet Walsh

Director: Joel Schumacher

Director: Joel Schumacher
Story: John Grisham
Screenwriter: Akiva Goldsman

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Aug 22, 1997

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for A Time to Kill

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1 - 11 (sorted by date)
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A likable -- maybe even lovable -- movie.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
06/14/09
Richard Schickel
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Although it has its share of implausibilities, A Time To Kill is generally the most satisfying of the John Grisham screen adaptations to date.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/08/08
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
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If the film doesn't add up to a cogent legal argument, neither does it have trouble delivering 2 hours and 20 minutes' worth of sturdy, highly charged drama.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
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Untrained as an actor, with only three minor roles to his credit, McConaughey holds the screen against Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock and Kevin Spacey, and completely justifies the buzz surrounding his role...

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
06/18/02
Edward Guthmann
Edward Guthmann
San Francisco Chronicle
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No review available.

comment Comment
04/12/02
Globe and Mail
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McConaughey, 26, is dynamite in a performance of smarts, sexiness, scrappy humor and unmistakable star sizzle.

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
06/06/01
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
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Like many artists today, Grisham and Schumacher exploit racial tension without understanding it.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
01/01/00
Anthony Puccinelli
Anthony Puccinelli
Chicago Reader
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Despite certain drawbacks, A Time to Kill is involving, energetic, and occasionally thought-provoking. All things considered, this film will make for a worthwhile trip to the cinema for all, not just those who have time to kill.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
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A handsome but riotously cluttered melodrama with maybe 145 subplots.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Mike Clark
Mike Clark
USA Today
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A skillfully constructed morality play that pushes all the right buttons and arrives at all the right conclusions.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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No review available.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Susan Stark
Susan Stark
Detroit News
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Latest News for A Time to Kill

November 24, 2006: "Batman & Robin" Writer Gets $4 Million for "Da Vinci" Prequel
Oscar-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman is allegedly earning a $4 million dollar paycheck for his adaptation of Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons," which features the... More...

May 23, 2006: Goldsman Signs On for "Angels & Demons"
Yesterday we shared the news that the "Da Vinci Code" prequel was being discussed, and today comes word that screenwriter Akiva Goldsman will definitely be returning.... More...

April 15, 2005: Zooey Prepares for "Launch"
The Hollywood Reporter gets with the reporting by informing us of "Failure to Launch," an upcoming romantic comedy from Paramount. The blue-eyed Zooey Deschanel... More...

March 24, 2005: Critical Consensus: "Miss Congeniality" Armed, But Unfabulous
It’s been a while since Sandra Bullock’s last appearance on the big screen – 2002’s romantic comedy hit, “Two Weeks Notice,” co-starring Hugh Grant. She returns with “Miss... More...

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