L'héritage de la haine

Just like the book, this movie is amazing. The story is unique in the sense that it is very personal. A boy's grandfather is to be executed for murdering two small children, and as he investigates the crime further, he discovers more terrifying secrets about his grandfather and his past. He knows little about his roots because his father commited suicide when he was a kid, and this may be the only chance he has at discovering who he is, however unpleasant it may be. Chris Odonnel is great in this and Gene Hackman shines. I give this **** out of **** stars.

Sam Cayhall (Gene Hackman) is set to be executed for a bombing thirty years ago in Mississippi that killed two Jewish boys. His grandson Adam (Chris O'Donnell) has been avoiding the hateful legacy of his Klan grandfather. The young lawyer takes on the case. His investigation reveals that others were involved and he struggles to stop the execution.

Gene Hackman is a great racist but his character is irredeemable. Chris O'Donnell has his boyish looks but I don't sense the substance. Faye Dunaway is simply horrible in this one. The story is flat. The legal thriller is ultimately meaningless. Other than Hackman, this movie doesn't have much.

"The Chamber" tanked at the Box Office when it was released back in '96 due to critics' negative reaction and it was even bashed by the author of the novel himself, John Grisham, who called it a "disaster". Well, i don't know if it was Grisham's genuine feelings about the film or he was just jumping in the bandwagon of badmouthing this, for saving himself to earn more millions from Hollywood for the next screen adaptation of one of his works.

"The Chamber" isn't by all means a great movie or even one of the best Grisham's adaptations, but it's much better than the bad reputation it got then and still have over the years.

Some reviewers here wrote about "major" differences from the book to the screen, but as far as i read the majority of it, they're just picking on the movie, because nothing of them are noteworthy, and about EVERY movie adaptation from the literary world, it change certain aspects from the plot and / or the characters for the storytelling suit the big screen better.

James Foley (who helm'd the vastly underrated dark teen drama, "Reckless"; the splendid crime / thriller, "At Close Range" or the superb drama film adapted from Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning play, "Glengarry Glen Ross") knows how to handle social dramas of this kind, approaching dark subjects on the human condition, awareness and behavior and "The Chamber" is a competent exercise on that.

Gene Hackman delivers here one of his best performances from the 90's as the hateful bigot, Sam Cayhall, which deserved more recognition and Chris O'Donnel, playing his rookie lawyer and grandson who's advocating him, isn't bland here, in fact, he's solid, looking more mature in his acting and showing how he learned since working with Pacino in "Scent of a Woman".

Faye Dunaway is a bit 'out' in her acting, going over-the-top in every scene and being just 11 years younger than Hackman and looking every year of it, it looks implausible the father / daughter kinship.

The rest of the cast was given almost nothing to do (some appears in tiny roles such as Robert Prosky), but perform the best they could out of it, especially Raymond J. Barry in a memorable turn as the vicious Klansman.

In short, "The Chamber" is worth a watch for fans of Grisham's big screen adaptations and 'death row" flicks such as "Dead Man Walking" ('95) or "Stephen King's The Green Mile" ('99).

I give it a solid 7.5 !!

On the surface "The Chamber" is about a young lawyer named Adam Hall (Chris O'Donnell) who is trying to save his grandfather (Gene Hackman) from the death penalty. But really the movie is about breaking the cycle of racism, hatred, and bigotry that got his grandfather put on death row to begin with.

Although not one of Grisham's best, he still deserves credit for daringly going into a dark and despised part of American history. This movie may have stirred many people the wrong way and touched a nerve with others. I saw an excellent depiction of a torn young man desiring to help his grandfather in spite of his and everyone else's despise of that same man.

The movie was compelling. Just one tale about the troubled history of Mississippi. As the character Nora Stark (Lela Rochon) said..."Mississippi has bodies buried everywhere."

Most reviews on this site, neglect to mention how vividly the film captures the racist politics of the American South at this time. The actions of all politicians reveals how difficult it can be to seek justice. They are always looking sideways. Also the crowd outside the execution site shows how easy it is to stir up mob emotion. Again, nicely laid out and captured on film. The film visually translated Grishelm's understanding of Southern culture and politics.

I also thought Chris O'Donnell captured the intensity of someone who is confronting his family's past. The camera work, which holds on his face, assists in helping us to see the quiet determination with which he works. (The camera is a good replacement for the interior monologue of fiction!)I also liked the flash-backs which help him to comprehend just where his father came from and why suicide might have been a response.

This film is timely today in lieu of the polarization of American politics. Scary stuff!