Prosecuting Casey Anthony

Prosecuting Casey Anthony (2013)

*** (out of 4)

State lawyer Jeff Ashton (Rob Lowe) gets himself the Casey Anthony case just as he wanted so that he can turn her into the most hated woman in America but it ends up with her walking free. PROSECUTING CASEY ANTHONY is based on Ashton's book so it's to be expected that the film would show him in a positive light and Anthony in a negative one. For a Lifetime movie this here is certainly above average thanks in large part to Lowe's performance but there's still no question that there are many flaws. As someone who really followed this case, one of the first questions asked in the film is how Anthony walked away being found not guilty. In the film Ashton says he doesn't know and this is a problem with the film because the truth of the matter is that he never proved the case. For the most part the film spends way too much time going over the court case and all the big evidence or lack of evidence if you will. If someone has followed the case then none of this stuff is going to be of much interest because we know the evidence and have probably heard countless talking heads discuss it to death. The film would have been much better had it tried to give us something new including Ashton's state as these events started to unfold. The majority of the film just has him insulting the defense lawyer and this here really goes nowhere. However, as I said, the film remains watchable as a trashy made-for-TV flick but we've also got a very good performance by Lowe. I really thought he was believable as the lawyer and I liked the way the actor managed to perform with his eyes, meaning, we're able to see how he thinks and feels simply by looking into his eyes. The supporting performances are decent at best but the actors had a pretty hard job since most people are so used to their real counterparts. PROSECUTING CASEY ANTHONY certainly isn't a great movie by any stretch of the imagination but it's at least mildly entertaining.

One of the better made for TV movies about a real murder trial - very informative in so little time. My only complaint is the long and many commercials.

I thought the acting was quite good. The actual woman prosecutor during her endless opening statement was quite boring (it's on Youtube). The actress who played her was not – maybe that was poor acting.

After viewing it I could understand why it wasn't a slam dunk murder conviction.

Also the movie showed at least two jurors glaring at the prosecutor as if they didn't trust or like them. I felt the same way.

It's entertaining and moves along at a good pace. Watch it with an open mind and you might enjoy it.

The law is not perfect, the courts are not perfect, people are NOT perfect. SHE DID IT. it's very sad that she got off with nothing. I would love to know where she lives, just to, you know, "congratulate" her...

Based on a true story: Rob Lowe stars as Florida prosecutor Jeff Ashton in this riveting, true-life drama based on the infamous Casey Anthony murder trial that shocked and enraged the American public.

As a Brit living in the UK, I knew nothing of the story, and what actually happened. I watched this simply because it starred Rob Lowe.

Lowe stars in one of my favourite romance movie ever 'About Last Night' and I usually pay attention to anything he stars in. He has continued to impress me as he left "The Brat Pack" era of his career, and went on to 'Wayne's World' and 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who S******d Me' or his work as Sam Seaborn in TV's 'The West Wing' he is always reliable.

And this is no difference, he is superb, as is everybody involved. I was blown away by everybody's work here.

It was let down in several areas, but it's hard to pick faults with a movie that gets so much right.

I read Jeff Ashton's book a few years ago and found him to be one of the most distasteful individuals in the profession. I think a lot of Rob Lowe as an actor and he was very able to portray that expertly. I'm sure Ashton loved the portrayal. Ashton took the proceeds of his "book" and beat a long term incumbent. He was then defeated, but recently was elected to a Judgeship. Watch out, central Florida, you get what you elect. I'm sure he thinks Orlando just can't live without him.