First Hit: A good film even though one knows from the beginning how it ends.
Sam Rockwell plays Kenny Waters as a thinking and yet unthinking man who grew up with few boundaries.
Hilary Swank plays Betty Anne Waters as always looking up to her brother and caring for him as their mother couldn’t and wouldn’t. As children we see them always fighting for and protecting the other.
Their mother was non-existent and spent her time working and sleeping around with other men. The only father figure they had was their grandfather. Living in a small town created circumstances that whenever there was trouble Kenny was one person the police looked at as being the possible culprit because often he was.
When a woman is found stabbed and bludgeoned to death, they picked up Kenny, try and convicted him. He claims innocence and Betty of course uses all means to save her brother.
The film takes place over an 12 – 16 year span and during this time Betty goes to school, works full time, gets a degree, attends law school and passes the bar. She does this so that she can get Kenny out of jail.
Assisting Betty is Abra Rice (played by Minnie Driver). Abra works with Betty, assists her with her studies, prods her during downfalls, and ultimately joins the crusade to free Kenny.
It’s a wonderful story about brotherly and a sisterly love and the connection between two people. One downside is that their aging wasn't represented very well it was uneven.
Rockwell is an extremely intelligent actor and this part allowed him to be boundless which at times didn’t work for me. At times when he acted out it may have been in the script but I felt that Rockwell was too smart a person to have acted the way he did. Swank, as is customary, gave an all-out performance in a admirable but not noteworthy role. Driver was very good as the open forgiving friend showing that friendship can survive ups and downs. Pamela Grey wrote a good script which effectively lays out this story. Tony Goldwyn did a good job of directing the actors and guiding the story.
Overall: This is definitely a good film to watch on the couch with family.