Learn more about the movie and the work of the innocence project at. Swanks name may be above the title, but it is waters, who put herself through college and law school to free her brother kenny from a murder charge, that is the films true star. Her determination is fierce, her rebirth is inspiring, and in hilary swank, the film finds the right actress to embody gritty tenacity. The story hinges on actions taken by a marine meu commander samuel l. Betty anne waters shares her experience watching her life story being made into a film duration. By considering his innocence and not his personality, conviction puts the focus where it belongs. It is an inspiring story, and the ultimate resolution is dramatically satisfying and brought a tear to my eye. When betty anne waters twotime academy award winner hilary swank. Hilary swank plays betty anne waters and sam rockwell plays kenneth waters.
When her older brother kenny sam rockwell is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in 1983, betty anne waters hilary swank vows to get the conviction overturned. Conviction and the case of kenny waters innocence project. After being exonerated, they formed a detective agency to help inmates who are. True conviction premiered at the 2017 tribeca film festival and was awarded a special jury mention in the best documentary category. The film is based on the true story john ehret high schools 200506 state championship team. You cant beat a good hollywood film about the little guy who fights back against the man and wins. Conviction filmmakers struggled with tragic ending to. Oct 15, 2010 conviction is an upcoming drama film directed by tony goldwyn. Visit our conviction page for videos, resources and the story behind the film. Oct 15, 2010 now the real life drama is hitting the big screen in the movie conviction. The upcoming film conviction, tells the story of betty anne waters twodecade struggle to free her brother kenneth after he was convicted in massachusetts of a murder he didnt commit. Jackson when a rescue team from his unit is called into senaa, yemen to rescue a panicky u. In this powerful film, betty ann is played by hillary swank.
Betty anne waters, reallife heroine of conviction the. Its a tough opening for a film thats supposed to be about right and wrong, truth and reconciliation, and the audacity of hope. Based on a true story from 1980 rural massachusetts, conviction begins with a jarring and bloody shot of a murdered body in ones home. Bettyanne waters saw her brother kenny unlawfully sent to prison for the murder and. Today we remember kenny waters on his 18th exoneration. Now, nearly 10 years later, the story is about to play out on the big screen in the new movie conviction, opening friday, with hilary swank as betty anne, sam rockwell as kenny, and peter. Betty anns tale became a frontpage story in the globe. On one fateful night, a woman loses her mother to murder, and then loses her husband to a justice system gone horribly wrong. We offer a full range of affordable distribution, educational, and marketing education to independent filmmakers looking to reach out to traditionally underserved audiences. True conviction detective agency of exonerated men. The difference, however, is that this story is completely true. Beginning an 18year quest to exonerate kenny, betty anne puts herself through college and law school.
Based on a true story, conviction 2010 recounts the tale of a workingclass woman who gets a law degree solely to prove the innocence of her brother, who had been sentenced to life for murder. A working mother puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and has exhausted his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders. A true tale of a womans courageous campaign on behalf of her wrongly imprisoned brother, the film features strong performances from hilary. Watch the trailer below and learn more about the story behind the film.
Trial by fire, out may 17, is the opposite of a feelgood movie. Conviction does a true story justice the michigan daily. Its a story that would be unbelievable if it werent true. The film manages not to deflate the magic and impossible triumph that is its true story even if theres a little more schmaltz than most will care for. A true story, prettied up for a picture a true tale of a womans courageous campaign on behalf of her wrongly imprisoned brother, the film features strong performances from hilary swank and minnie driver, but feels just a little too tidy for a story based on reallife events. Conviction filmmakers struggled with tragic ending to their reallife. Conviction stars swank, lewis, and driver with the help of dna evidence. After waters conviction, his sister, betty anne waters, sought to prove his innocence. Sam rockwell plays the brother, a small town massachusetts neerdowell whod been in and out of trouble for most. Lost girls, the film adaptation of the 20 book of the same name, tells the story of a woman. She put herself through college and law school, all with the goal of exonerating her brother. Rhode island woman works for more than two decades to overturn brothers wrongful murder conviction, now movie hits theaters. Yes, it is a true story, and yes, there is a heck of twist. Conviction tells the reallife story of a woman named betty ann waters, a single mother of two who tended bar while acquiring her ged, bachelors degree, and then her law degree, all so that she.
Oct 15, 2010 when her older brother kenny sam rockwell is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in 1983, betty anne waters hilary swank vows to get the conviction overturned. Anne sifts through evidence in the film conviction, also starring minnie driver. There really isnt a more unbelievable true story turned into film than conviction. The inspiring story of a waitress that decides to study to become a lawyer to defend her beloved and innocent brother that was sentenced to life without probation and release him after twenty years is one of the most beautiful examples of dedication, determination, devotion and fraternal love. Things get ugly fast when the marines arrive on the scene by helicopter from their ships at sea and. The film premiered on september 11, 2010, at the toronto international film festival and was released in the us on october 15, 2010. Jim was unhappy with the changes made by director william friedkin, producer dick zanuk, the marine corps public affairs office. Conviction is a film which imitates life, but the reality behind it is more compelling than any screenplay. Based on a true story, the film stars hilary swank as high school dropout betty anne waters, who goes to law school so she can free her wrongly convicted brother kenneth from prison. Theres a new detective agency in dallas, texas, started by three exonerated men, with decades in prison served between them.
Every so often, hilary swank will block out some time on her busy schedule to try to win herself an oscar. Conviction is not only a gripping story of justice gone wrong, its also a meditation. Jul, 2019 if youre looking for engrossing, factbased films to get caught up in, check out some of the best basedonatruestory movies of 2019. This serial killer drama becomes extra eerie once you realize it is based on a true story. Her story began almost 30 years ago, after the brutal murder of a 48yearold massachusetts woman. She put herself through college and law school and worked with the innocence project to obtain the dna tests that finally proved kennys innocence. View a slideshow of waters family photos and pictures from the day kenny was freed. True conviction is a characterdriven documentary that follows these changemakers as they rebuild their lives and families, learn to investigate cases, and work to support one another. From waitress to brothers savior, then hollywood hero. Betty ann waters asks her two sons in the final scene of the film, conviction in theaters october 15, 2010. Conviction is a 2010 biographical legal drama film directed by tony goldwyn, written by.
Such is the theme of the movie conviction, which came out on dvd last month. But when you ask yourself this question after watching the truelife account of a massachusetts highschool dropouts quest to free her wrongfullyconvicted brother, kenneth waters, it is even more daunting to try to answer it. Conviction is the best courtroom drama of the twentiethfirst century. Hurricane season 2010 american sports drama film directed by tim story. The critical consensus reads less compelling and more manipulative than it should be, conviction benefits from its compelling true story and a pair. When betty anne waters twotime academy award winner hilary swank older brother kenny sam rockwell is arrested for murder and sentenced to life in 1983, betty anne, a massachusetts wife and mother of two, dedicates her life to overturning the murder conviction. Betty anne waters really is a parttime pub waitress, who really did put herself through law school and singlehandedly proved her.
Betty anne waters, reallife heroine of conviction the new york. With hilary swank, sam rockwell, melissa leo, thomas d. When betty anne waters twotime academy award winner hilary swank older brother kenny sam rockwell. Conviction story, conviction hollywood movie story, plot. Sample discussion guide questions conviction is based on a true story. The tale then went viral, and ultimately betty ann sold her life rights to agents. Aug 06, 2018 it has long been said that the true story behind the fugitive, the harrison ford action classic that turns 25 years old today, is very loosely based on the 50s murder case, conviction and.
The best movies based on true stories in 2019 esquire. Now the real life drama is hitting the big screen in the movie conviction. Trial by fire true story cameron todd willingham death. After waters conviction, his sister, betty anne waters, sought to prove his. Nov 16, 2010 she put herself through college and law school and worked with the innocence project to obtain the dna tests that finally proved kennys innocence. In 1999, she located the blood evidence collected from the scene of the crime and obtained a court order to preserve the evidence for possible dna testing. Conviction is a 2010 biographical legal drama film directed by tony goldwyn, written by pamela gray, and starring hilary swank and sam rockwell. The film collaborative is the first nonprofit, fullservice provider dedicated to the distribution of independent film, including narrative features, documentaries and shorts. True conviction detective agency of exonerated men helping. The main suspect was kenny waters, betty anns younger brother. Documentary about three men who each spent more than 10 years in texas prison for crimes they didnt commit. Swanks name may be above the title, but it is waters, who put herself through college and law school to free her brother kenny from a murder charge, that is the film s true star. A true story, prettied up for a picture a true tale of a womans courageous campaign on behalf of her wrongly imprisoned brother, the. The film, directed by rupert goold and starring james franco as longo and jonah hill as finkel, is based on finkels book full title.
A true story, prettied up for a picture a true tale of a womans courageous campaign on behalf of her wrongly imprisoned brother, the film features strong performances from hilary. Betty anne waters is a high school dropout who spent nearly two decades working as a single mother while putting herself through law school, tirelessly trying to beat the system and overturn her brothers unjust murder conviction. From heist films to musical biopics, some of the years. This basic story in this film was based on an original script by jim webb, a former marine officer and a navy cross recipient who once served as secretary of the navy. Thus, ten years later, the story is now on the big screen in conviction, which opened october 15. Conviction is an upcoming drama film directed by tony goldwyn. Tragically, in 2001, 47yearold kenny died after a freak fall, just six months after his release.
Though the movie injects some ambiguity into the story about. Oct 23, 2010 conviction tells the reallife story of a woman named betty ann waters, a single mother of two who tended bar while acquiring her ged, bachelors degree, and then her law degree, all so that she. Conviction is the inspirational true story of a sisters unwavering devotion to her brother. Oct 28, 2010 swanks name may be above the title, but it is waters, who put herself through college and law school to free her brother kenny from a murder charge, that is the films true star. The film is based on the true story of betty anne waters, an unemployed single mother who, with the help of attorney barry scheck. Conviction is a gripping story of justice gone wrong, and also a meditation on the role of luck in the criminal justice system. Conviction filmmakers struggled with tragic ending to their. Since waters death, representatives of his estate have settled a civil lawsuit with the town of ayer, and the case was the subject of a 2010 feature film, conviction.
Jan 19, 2020 the real story drama, starring michael b. Mine 9 though its not based on a true story, eddie mensores claustrophobic depiction of a coal mine explosion takes pains to remind us that it could be. True conviction follows exonerated exprisoners who started a detective agency to help free other wrongly incarcerated people, as they rebuild their lives, investigate cases, support each other, and campaign to fix the criminal justice system. Oct 14, 2010 betty ann waters asks her two sons in the final scene of the film, conviction in theaters october 15, 2010. If youre looking for engrossing, factbased films to get caught up in, check out some of the best basedonatruestory movies of 2019. Cut to a penitentiary, and a man presumably in jail for that brutal slaying. Kenny waters might not have been a very nice man, but he was an innocent one. Betty anne waters inspired conviction, a film opening on friday and starring hilary swank. Mar 02, 2011 you cant beat a good hollywood film about the little guy who fights back against the man and wins. The film is based on the true story of betty anne waters, an unemployed single mother who, with the help of. It has long been said that the true story behind the fugitive, the harrison ford action classic that turns 25 years old today, is very loosely based on the 50s murder case, conviction and. In this true story of tenacity and selfdiscovery, melinda and clarence elkins fight the law and win. There are no hollywood endings to be found in this story of a grieving man, cameron todd willingham jack oconnell, sentenced to. The film is inspired by a true story of a young hasidic man who was lured into the world of international drug trafficking in the late 90s.
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