Tom (Jim Caviezel) and Claire Kubik (Ashley Judd) are a happily married couple. Very much in love, they are trying to have a baby, despite Claire’s crazy schedule as a successful lawyer. However their happiness gets challenged by one shocking incident: Tom is arrested, and taken to a military facility. This is how Claire learns that her beloved husband Tom is in fact Ron Chapman, an ex-sergeant who changed his identity because he was being accused of multiple murders. Despite her shock, Claire believes Tom’s innocence, and decides to defend him when the appointed military lawyer (Adam Scott) turns out to be a rookie. She also enlists the help of the brilliant former military attorney Charles W. Grimes (Morgan Freeman).
To make matters more complicated, her carefree sister (Amanda Peet) moves in with her, and starts dating the rookie. Moreover the judge seems to be favoring the opposing counsel (Michael Gaston), and doesn’t seem to be care whether Tom is innocent or not. Claire himself occasionally doubts her husband, but she knows in her heart that he is a good man and she needs to win this. However the military seems determined to do anything to sabotage her and her case, and the sole survivor of the murderers is not happy about her either. Can Claire and her team survive all this and free Tom?
*
High Crimes is a very entertaining and absolutely engaging legal drama/thriller from 2002. The acting is great, and it offers many twists and turns that makes you change your mind about Tom’s innocence again and again. It’s only fault is the ultimate twist, and when it comes. Anyone who has seen multiple movies will notice that the ending will offer something different than the outcome of the trial. And not all actions of characters (main and supporting) will make sense at the end. But these can be ignored, as the movie is a lot of fun to watch. It’s currently rated at 6.1 on IMDB. And I believe it is the delivery of the ending that stopped it from being rated at 7 or higher. A well-earned 7/10 from me. The acting, however, especially Jim Caviezel’s gets an 8.
Based on the novel by Joseph Finder.
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