The Morrison Murders: Based on a True Story

I saw this movie the other night on USA and I must admit, I was impressed. TV movies are normally boring and dull, but I am gonna say that I thought this movie was entertaining and suspenseful.

The ending is shocking, twisted, and wonderfully played out. It surprised me and scared me at the same time.

The script was all that strong all the time and some of the acting was a little different. However, when this movie is on TV watch it. You are not gonna be disappointed.

Very good for a TV movie! Good acting & directing. Walker's wife was particularly good (thought she was Charlize Theron). The story was told with some subtlety and portrayed the anguish when one's sibling turns out to be VERY troubled.... and the conflict between justice and mercy in trying to get closure. We've seen so many depictions of cruel, autocratic bible-belt fathers and the damage they can do to their families, but this was a sensitive and subtle version of a much-repeated story.

(When you're having a rough day, and all you have energy for is watching TV movies, it's a lucky break to find one this well done. Of course, I am biased. Can't help but feel a bit favorable toward anything with the delightful "Chris Stevens" in it)!

TV churns out dozens of true-crime movies every year. You can see 3 or 4 every Saturday on Lifetime, and Court TV can be relied on for a few every weekend. So I started watching The Morrison Murders thinking I knew very well what to expect: a more or less competent retelling of a real-life family murder. What I got was a subtle, beautifully acted drama that engrossed me from start to finish.

Both the brothers were totally convincing, and Jonathan Scarfe was perfect in the challenging role of Luke. The look and feel of Georgia was in almost every frame. If I had any complaint, it was Gordon Clapp as the sheriff. He just doesn't look or act like a small-town Southern lawman named Byron Calhoun. He looks and sounds like Medavoy, and Medavoy is not right for this part.

But this is a minor quibble: The Morrison Murders is well worth watching, and not just on a rainy Saturday afternoon. If you're going out, tape it. You won't regret it.

The musical "score" quote in this TV movie to me right back to the mid-90s. It could have been Matlock or in the heat of the night.

The score did nothing to enhance the cinematography, branding it as a mid-90s TV movie and leaving no doubt, but the story was interesting if not captivating. It's pretty standard mid-90s TV movie fare. I generally like many TV movies and a six is not a bad rating for one.

ABOUT MY REVIEWS:

I do not include a synopsis of the film/show -- you can get that anywhere and that does not constitute a meaningful review -- but rather my thoughts and feelings on the film that hopefully will be informative to you in deciding whether to invest 90-180 minutes of your life on it.

My scale: 1-5 decreasing degrees of "terrible", with 5 being "mediocre" 6- OK. Generally held my interest OR had reasonable cast and/or cinematography, might watch it again 7 - Good. My default rating for a movie I liked enough to watch again, but didn't rise to the upper echelons 8- Very good. Would watch again and recommend to others 9- Outstanding. Would watch over and over; top 10% of my ratings 10 - A classic. (Less than 2% receive this rating). For Lifetime Movies for Chicks (LMFC), drop the above scale by 3 notches. A 6 is excellent and 7 almost unattainable.

I don't usually like this sort of movie but was working at home and wanted something to halfway watch while I did. I got so engrossed I gave up working to just sit and finish watching the last half hour uninterrupted. And I sure don't usually shed tears over this sort of show, but I was crying at the end. A lot of emotional nuance. Great acting, and good southern feel. John Corbett is one of the most talented actors out there, and the guy who played Luke was really good too. Highly recommend.