Testigo protegido

There's inherent limitations built into most TV movies. They tend to feel just a little closed in, without a lot of focus on cinematography. "Witness Protection" has the sense of being (literally) in a locked room. It provides an opportunity to focus almost completely on the actors and their performances. And there's some great performances, too. The three leads (Sizemore, Mastrantonio, Whitaker) get deep under the skin of their characters. The interaction between Sizemore and Mastrantonio, especially, reaches a level of tenderness and darkness that's totally unanticipated.

This film works well to director Richard Pearce's ability with actors, but doesn't provide him much in the way of visual opportunity like some of his stunning feature films (Threshold, Country, The Long Walk Home, A Family Thing). But, although "Witness Protection" sounds uninteresting and doesn't look much better, it is a numbing, dramatic punch to the face. There's a ton of depth to the writing here, brought to full bear by the actors. The only off-key note was with young Skye McCole Bartusiak, who is sometimes forced to express levels of emotion that she's not completely capable of getting across. Watch this film, though. You just might get something from it.

In Boston, when the mobster Bobby "Bats" Batton (Tom Sizemore) is attacked by a killer at home and escapes, he finds that he has fallen in disgrace with his boss since someone has falsely betrayed him telling that he has embezzled money from his funds. Without any alternative, Bobby seeks out FBI chief Sharp (William Sadler) to get protection to his family and him. Bobby accepts to snitch his boss; in return, his wife Cindy Batton (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), his teenage son Sean Batton (Shawn Hatosy), his little daughter Suzie Batton (Skye McCole- Bartusiak).and him will receive new identities and be relocated to Seattle. Along the next days, they move to a safe house to be trained in their new lives by Agent Steven Beck (Forest Whitaker) that shows that they are completely broken and without professional qualification. Meanwhile the family lives the drama to adapt to their new lives. Will they succeed?

"Witness Protection" is a HBO TV movie with a different approach of the witness protection program showing how does it works and how families are affected. In crime films, the procedure are shown in a shallow way; but this film uses the family of a mobster with wife, teenage son and little daughter to disclose the problems faced by the in their new location. Supported by great cast and direction, the most impressive are the odds to be successful, depicted when Agen Steven says 50% and his partner calls him optimistic. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Proteção à Testemunha" ("Witness Protection")

This movie is the kind that TV airs by the dozen late in the evening. It is not advertised as something special, just a nice thrill to entertain you before bedtime.

However, it is a very solid, well turned story, showing another side of the gangster/new identity tale that we have seen many times before. We get under the skin of a family forced into assuming a new identity. A son has to give up his access to a famous college and a daughter has to give up her friends at school and learn a whole new family history. Grand parents are said goodbye to, never to be seen again. All the difficulties of assuming a new identity are well described and explored in this film, and the acting is no-nonsense, to the point and convincing. Forest Whitaker is (as always) perfect in his role, but in fact all actors contribute convincingly to the story.

Witness Protection is a great film from HBO about a family that is forced to entered the witness protection program after their lives become endangered. However it is NOT what you might think, shootouts, narrow escapes, and a face off between mobster boss and betrayed loyal soldier, instead it is turned into a drama about a family disintegrating under the pressures of the situation they are in, and what an excellent drama it is ! The performances are all a knock out, in particular that of Mastroantonio, as the wife who stands by her man and whose life of luxury starts unraveling, this actress has a range that had never been exploited until now, her confrontation with her husband in the kitchen is to be remembered, she is so good that I am really upset about how many more roles she could play if only we had known. Sismore plays the mobster connected husband to perfection, his known ability to play sinister hoods is utilized to play a husband that keeps emotionally exploding as his life and family start to crumble. The actors playing their children are also in top form. The young child playing the daughter is amazing as a girl that is becoming traumatized on a daily basis by a stress filled environment. Finally there is Forrest Whitaker, his performance is fine for the role but again, Forrest is a monotone actor, he plays every character the same way, I never understood what the big hoo-ha-ha is about him, but in this role his demeanor is exactly what his role needs and it complements a movie that has absolutely no flaws. Kudos to the director for bringing out such performances from such unlikely actors. As someone here mentioned, I don't know why this film was not a theatrical release because it would have brought Oscar nominations for everyone involved, it is one of the best films of the year.

This is a movie which should be seen by anyone who thinks that the "witness protection" is a free ride for criminals. Very well done by everyone, it shows the gut wrenching changes that must be made by the "witness" and his/her family.Entertaining and disturbing it should be seen by all.