A Time to Kill

A harrowing look at racial tensions in Mississippi, Joel Schumacher's film follows the trial of a black man (Samuel L. Jackson) who murdered two white men after they raped his ten-year-old daughter. His defense lawyer (Matthew McConaughey) fights to set him free, but is violently threatened by the KKK. The film raises questions about whether some murders are justified, legal or not, while depicting a town divided by class, color, and opinion. It's a compelling moral dilemma, marked by scenes of true horror. The film, however, clearly separates the good and bad guys, and avoids depicting the complexity of human behavior. But A Time to Kill has its heart in the right place, eschewing bigotry big and small. (L. Russo)