A documentary focusing on men who’ve been wrongfully imprisoned. Shot as a series of human-interest stories, it might have been more involving with a sharper focus on the process that led to the unfortunate outcomes.
This is one of four limited-release documentaries (counting the performance film Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic) that opened on the same weekend in Philadelphia. The second favorite film in April’s Philadelphia Film Festival (another documentary, Mad Hot Ballroom, beat it by a step), it tells the story of several “exonerees,” wrongly convicted men who spent years or even decades in prison before new DNA evidence (or in one case, a confession) led to their being freed. Given the title, it makes sense it that it’s mostly the men talking about their adjustment after prison. (There’s no narration.) Still, getting sent to prison for crimes—mostly involving rape, which yields DNA evidence—they didn’t commit is probably the most interesting thing that will ever happen to any of them. I couldn’t help but wish there was more detail about the crimes themselves and the legal process that led to the unfortunate outcomes. A more in-depth focus on a few of the men might have yielded more insights into how things like this happen, and what practical steps can be taken to improve things. I’d also have wanted more screen time for Innocence Project founders Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, who pinpoint misidentification by witnesses as the common element in most of these cases. There is a Philly angle to this film, as two of those profiled are local, and a proposed bill to compensate Pennsylvania exonerees and expunge their records is given some attention. [As of 2009, it does not appear that the bill was passed.]
viewed at 12/?/05 at Ritz Bourse and reviewed 12/5/05
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