Movie review: Conviction

Betty Anne Waters' (Hilary Swank) fought for 18 years to prove the innocence of her brother Kenny (Sam Rockwell). Photo / Supplied

Hilary Swank doesn't shy away from Hollywood's unglamorous roles; they have, after all, seen her collect Oscars for Million Dollar Baby and Boys Don't Cry. In this real life story Swank is once again convincing as the working class battler, but it's her co-star Sam Rockwell who makes a lasting impression.

Conviction is an emotionally charged and conventionally told story of family loyalty taken to the extreme. When Betty Anne's brother Kenny (Rockwell) is found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison in 1983, the small town mother-of-two puts herself through high school, college, and then law school in an 18-year quest to free her sibling.

It takes Betty Anne a little longer than Erin Brockovich to master the legal system, and while Conviction isn't as glossy as the Julia Roberts' vehicle the two films share a similar underdog spirit.

Swank's performance is largely limited to a show of determination. Her obsession with freeing her brother, who she unequivocally believes is innocent, has a massive impact on her. Losing her husband and two boys over her fixation, Swank pauses briefly to contemplate the collateral damage on her life but returns quickly to battle mode with a one-eyed determination to free Kenny.

While this limits the range of Swank's performance, Rockwell presents a much more complex character, transitioning from charming troublemaker to suicidal inmate. He does a good job of making us question whether he is innocent or guilty and adds a welcome dose of jeopardy to the story.

This would all be a bit depressing without Minnie Driver, who plays Betty Anne's best friend and fellow adult law student Abra Rice, and who lightens up Conviction with a welcome touch of humour. As does Juliette Lewis, who is priceless in her cameo role as an alcoholic trailer trash witness.

Conviction tells a remarkable story, but with director Goldwyn opting to play to emotion over fact it at times veers towards being melodramatic. But even with Goldwyn shamelessly milking the heart-wrenching and tragic childhood of Kenny and Betty Anne the quality acting means it's easy to see past the tear-jerking antics and enjoy an inspirational story.

LOWDOWN

Stars: 3.5
Verdict: An overly emotional but still inspiring story
Cast: Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell
Director: Tony Goldwyn
Running time: 106 mins
Rating: M (contains violence and offensive language)

-TimeOut