Comes across as more 1980s TV movie than 1950s period piece.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:25
Fresh:1
Rotten:24
Average Rating:3.1/10
Consensus: Hackneyed and over dramatic, this undercooked courtroom drama suffers from bad dialogue and a twist ending you'll see from a distance.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for a sex scene, violence and brief strong language.
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:Sep 11, 2009 Limited
Synopsis:
High profile lawyer, Mark Hunter (Michael Douglas) has an impeccable record putting criminals behind bars and is a shoo-in for governor in the upcoming election. But when ambitious rookie...
High profile lawyer, Mark Hunter (Michael Douglas) has an impeccable record putting criminals behind bars and is a shoo-in for governor in the upcoming election. But when ambitious rookie journalist, C.J. (Jesse Metcalfe) begins investigating Hunter for tampering with evidence to secure his convictions, the district attorney’s perfect record is up for scrutiny.
Commencing a risky game of cat and mouse with Hunter, C.J. frames himself as a murder suspect to catch the corrupt D.A. in the act.
Romantically involved with C.J. but unaware of his assignment, assistant D.A. Ella Crystal (Amber Tamblyn) becomes caught between her boss’s political ambitions and C.J.’s dangerous exposé. As mounting evidence stacks up against both men, Ella’s own life becomes threatened when she discovers incriminating proof that puts the fate of both Nichol’s innocence and Hunter’s reputation in her hands.
With intricate plot twists ratcheting the tension throughout the film, this gripping courtroom thriller is written and directed by acclaimed director, Peter Hyams (Running Scared, End of Days) and also stars Orlando Jones and Joel David Moore. --© 42 West and Autonomous Films
Starring: Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, Michael Douglas, Joel David Moore
Starring: Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, Michael Douglas, Joel David Moore, Orlando Jones
Director: Peter Hyams
Director: Peter Hyams
Screenwriter: Peter Hyams
Producer: Ted Hartley, Limor Diamant, Mark Damon
Composer: David Shire
Studio: Autonomous Films
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Reviews for Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Any amateur magician can successfully yank the tablecloth away, but it’s only impressive if there’s something of value on the table.
I've got no problem with movies that stack up twists like crazy straws. Hyam's script, however, depends on us being dumber than every character in the film—you'd have to reach protozoan levels just to resist wanting to strangle everyone in it.
The result is at times genuinely suspenseful ... and if the final twist doesn't drive you crazy, the cleverness may win you over.
Preposterous, asinine, poorly edited and downright silly with more unintentional humor than your average courtroom thriller.
While the original is perhaps not a faultless classic, it certainly offers more excitement and competence than the star of John Tucker Must Die and the director of A Sound of Thunder can offer.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt feels like some throwaway 1980s TV movie, with its implausible premise, dizzying twists, cheesy montages and melodramatic score.
Like its title, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt is a generic, forgettable courtroom thriller.
Dumb, boring and predictable, rarely ever exceeding its TV movie esthetic and leading to the most ridiculous last-minute twist.
There's little in this pointless rehash to distract audiences from the pleasure of watching Tamblyn, a fine young actress whose direct, grownup stare belies her baby features.
There are plenty of reasonable doubts about his mediocre legal thriller remake.
There's fun to be had in a rickety Coney Island rollercoaster manner, and it's not terrible late at night on the couch with a bag of warm popcorn, though it is just too silly and slight for all its bluster.
Despite excellent stunt work and a too-brief appearance by Orlando Jones as an unflappable cop, the movie -- unlike Mr. Douglas’s hairdo -- never rises above mediocrity.
A good rule to follow for wannabe gritty thrillers: Lead actors shouldn't remind you of late-night informercial pitchmen.
Noisy and excessive where the original was hushed and restrained, and wholly devoid of mystique...
What you won't be able to figure out is why this laughable yarn didn't go straight to DVD.
Can a great surprise at the end make up for all of the earlier flaws? Only if you've got ADD.
Lang's film, the last he made in the U.S., exposed the immorality of the death penalty; Hyams's retread offers only more plot and longer, louder car chases.
Latest News for Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
September 10, 2009:
Critics Consensus: 9 Looks Great, But The Plot's Weak
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August 05, 2009:
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