Evidence of Blood

Andrew Mondshein has obviously been paying attention. He has created an almost flawless bit of storytelling. From beginning to end its hauntingly beautiful and thought provoking. I compare it favorably to the best works of John Sayles, possibly the finest contemporary american filmmaker. Is it a coincidence that two Sayles veterans David Strathairn and Mary McConnell are excellent in this movie??

Its structure is complicated, but it is handled with a deft hand. Bernadette Kelly's editing is seamless. I recommend it very highly to anyone who enjoys a good whodunit or simply a wonderfully crafted entertainment. It certainly does not seem like a TV movie, even if it is a Canadian production, which, of course, are usually superior. Give it many stars.

This was done in the manner of Hitchcock. It's one of the best movies I've ever seen. I like that there was no car chases - no obsenities - no violence. I was at first put off by the title with the word blood, but once I saw it - I looked for it again and again. I wish it were available in DVD. I hope there are more like it.

Very good movie. I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 because, while it did everything it could with the material, there were times when the editing felt very clunky and commercial-timed (which is what a lot of t.v. movies do, when they have to wrap up something and then take it up in the next scene, after the commercial break). Great performances from everyone, lots of Americana and Deep South imagery, enough surprises to keep the plot interesting, and an even tone throughout. The sets were filmed beautifully, and I've never seen country houses with natural wood and stucco look so country-ish. In terms of plot, pacing, acting, composition, etc., there is only good things to say. In other words, watch this film!

Somewhere in the annals of court cases, we have gone from the slow approach of Perry Mason's time, to the quick, try'em and fry'em dramas of today. In such cases, audiences become privy to the horrid details which modern audiences eagerly hunger for today. In past eras, we were offered only superficial illegalities and dry bed room antics of stereotypical cardboard characters. It appears nostalgia is not dead. The film is called " Evidence in Blood " and it stars perhaps one of the most underrated actors of the day. David Strathairn aptly plays Jackson Kinley a Pulitzer prize winning author who's invited to witness a state execution. The case seems closed when he receives information his older brother has passed away. Returning home, he sifts through his brother's personal items and discovers a collection of odds and ends which puzzle him enough to began a new investigation. When Dora Overton (Mary McDonnell) the executed man's daughter visits him, she confesses she believes, her father was innocent of the murder and wrongly convicted. With a gnawing suspicion she may have been right, Kinley begins to uncover a growing collection of evidence of a massive conspiracy by towns-folks. Despite the danger, drama and subtle excitement, the writer realizes his own family's culpability, beginning with his law-enforcement brother, covering up something which he realizes too late. With Strathairn shoring up the brunt of the story, the film does not provide sufficient support for his efforts. As a result, the movie supports itself with good courtroom settings, flash-back images and complex conversations which if you miss any of it, will leave you guessing. Nevertheless, fans will appreciate David Strathairn's work which stands accordingly. ****

This is a small band of reviewers who have had the good fortune to experience this minor gem of a movie. I wasn't aware that this film was made for TV, so that was the first surprise. Further surprises followed as the film proceeded to develop into an absorbing and convincing melodrama. I can only agree with the other reviewers that this film scored very highly on most of the requirements of great entertainment. The acting was thoughtful, measured and very convincing. Was this because the actors were not "stars"? I would say absolutely so, because faces that are new to one do not distract from the thrust of the story, thus enhancing the sense of reality. The female lead, for me, managed to create one of the most erotic portrayals I have ever seen. She managed to smoulder without any apparent effort. Guess she's just a naturally sexy lady.