The Chamber
ON VIDEO NOW
Rating: R
Review Date: 7-12-97
Stars: Chris O'Donnell, Gene Hackman, Faye Dunaway
Adam Hall (Chris O' Donnell) is 26 and fresh out of law school. Although
he is new, he wants to handle the notorious death row case of Sam Cayhall
(Gene Hackman) in Mississippi. Though initially skeptical about letting
him go the firm relents and lets him go to Mississippi and get on the case
when they learn that Adam is really Sam's grandson.
Adam does not want the fact readily known that he is Sam's grandson. Heck,
Adam has hardly known Sam for his entire life. When Adam finally meets
Sam he gets to find out just what kind of person he is dealing with. Sam
is not a likable man. Sam is a racist, bigot, hate monger, or whatever
else you might want to call him. Sam quickly shows his hatred for blacks,
Jews, and others in his early conversations with Adam. He is also quick
to figure out the truth, that Adam is his grandson.
Now the race is on. Can O'Donnell find a way to stay the execution that
is destined to take place.
The Chamber is not as tightly wound as some of the other Grisham
efforts that have been adapted for the big screen. But The Chamber
does tug at your heart. Sam is a man that is very easy to hate, in the
beginning. But as you learn more and more about him and his case, you realize
that yes, you should despise almost every thought he has. But, no, he probably
doesn't deserve the death penalty, at least not for the specific crime
that he was sentenced to the death penalty for. We also learn about the
corruptness of the legal system. Certain dirty little secrets end up remaining
hidden when powerful, influential people are behind them.
Chris O'Donnell's character seems forced at times and it makes for some
awkward moments, but otherwise the movie is fairly well done. Hackman is
good as usual, though not as good as he was in The Firm and others. The
movie also features an extended part for Bo Jackson, in which he is basically
just on the screen as the prison guard who Hackman trusts. Though other
Grisham adaptations such as The Firm & A Time To Kill
are considerably better, The Chamber is definitely a good view,
and if you're a fan of this type of movie you'll probably want to check
it out.
Grade: B-
Parents Guide: The material dealt with in The Chamber may be too
graphic for most younger kids. Let's not mince words, This film deals with
the tough subjects of racism, the KKK, and the death penalty to name a
few. The language used in the film includes derogotory refrences to Jews,
blacks, and others. It is a hard hitting film. The Chamber contains
language, violence, and extremely hate filled speech. Parents should be
cautioned strongly about these aspects. However, with older children (12+),
this film could be used as a way to start a discussion about the tough
issue that are the film's focus.