In 1993 in the town of West Memphis, Arkansas three young boys were murdered. The local god- fearing community was appalled and they demanded justice. The police investigation led to the conviction of three young men. These men continuously denied being involved and insisted they were innocent. However they were convicted and so began a fight for their freedom.
The story of the 'Memphis Three' has been told in several documentaries and there is plenty of information out there if you are interested in the case which in all honestly doesn't paint a great picture of the investigation and the subsequent convictions.
Colin Firth plays an investigator who believes that the case is shaky and is determined to discover the truth and Reese Witherspoon acts her socks off as the Mother of one of the victims (as does Firth and the rest of the cast).
It's certainly upsetting and controversial material, in fact the harrowing scenes of the discovery of the murdered boys is possibly one of the saddest pieces of cinema I have ever witnessed. It's wonderfully shot and I (and my Mum who was also watching) was deeply affected by the scene and shocked by how the case was handled and it's aftermath.
Devil's Knot has had mixed reviews, but I think it's one of the best 'acting' films I seen in quite a long time. Highly recommended, but please be aware of the nature of the material.
- Starring Colin Firth Reese Withspoon Stephen Moyer
- Director Atom Egoyan
- Distributor Entertainment in Video
