Step 1: Stand out. The only thing distinguishing Conviction from a Lifetime TV movie is the star power.
Step 2: Don’t get me wrong, the acting is quite good. Based on a true story, Hilary Swank plays Betty Anne Waters, a mother of two who spends 18 years trying to free her wrongly accused brother, Kenny (Sam Rockwell). Betty Anne and her older brother have always been tight, since growing up with an absentee mother, so Betty Anne wholeheartedly believes in Kenny’s innocence, even after he is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of their neighbor. She is so certain, in fact, that the high-school dropout gets her GED, then her BA and finally goes to law school in order to be Kenny’s lawyer and find some way to get him out. In the process, she also sacrifices her marriage and barely holds onto her two sons. Betty Anne’s unfaltering, tireless dedication eventually works when she finds the right DNA evidence, as well as uncovers a police conspiracy and witness coercion. After serving 18 years behind bars, Kenny is finally freed.
Step 3: Hire Hilary Swank for any blue-collar role. Swank once again nails it. Be it a woman who wants to be a man (Boys Don’t Cry) or a prizefighter (Million Dollar Baby), something in the Oscar-winning actress’ brain takes over when she gets her hands on these blue-collar roles (just don’t tell her a romantic dramedy like P.S. I Love You is a good idea). Swank’s turn as Betty Anne conveys an unparalleled level of subtlety and authenticity, and in a limited Best Actress field this year, she stands a good chance of getting a nod for her efforts. Rockwell, too, dazzles as the pent-up Kenny. He plays the character very close to the edge – a guy with a ton of charisma but who has a bad temper which can flare unexpectedly. He does keep you guessing on whether he is actually innocent, but ultimately it’s pretty clear. Other standouts include Minnie Driver as Betty Anne’s best friend and motivator and Juliette Lewis as one of Kenny’s ex-girlfriends, whose false testimony puts him away.
Step 4: Seriously, you just gotta stand out. But overall, Conviction fails to inspire, even with its compelling story. I’m sure making a smaller, more intimate, more real film isn’t necessarily the easiest sell, but there have been plenty of indies of this ilk that rise above through the unique vision of the director. The Social Network could have, in fact, been a TV movie if not for David Fincher’s skillful direction, which took it to higher level. Unfortunately, Conviction‘s director Tony Goldwyn keeps the narrative all too straight forward, relying solely on the strength of his actors. The Ghost actor-turned-director is competent, no question, but doesn’t seem to do anything above and beyond, and while this might not be a bad thing per se, it still bothers me as a filmgoer. I feel like if I’m taking the time to go to a theater to watch a movie, I want to experience something more than what I can get from turning on the Oxygen Network or even HBO.
Level of difficulty in watching Conviction: Not too, but the likes of Swank and Rockwell only go so far.