Evidence of Blood

A good litmus test of whether a movie is good is to ask, if it didn't have stars, would this have been a TV movie? Evidence of Blood is a TV movie where one asks, if this film had big stars, would this have made a good feature? Yes, it would.

Filmed in Canada, "Evidence of Blood" is the story of writer Jason Kinley (David Strathairn) returning to his home town in Georgia and becoming involved in a 40-year murder case.

The case is the murder of a young girl, Ellie Dinker, whose body was never found. Jackson's recently deceased childhood friend Ray had been looking into it, and left him a clue - what looks like a twig or small tree branch.

Dora Overton (McDonnell), who owns a bar, was Ray's girlfriend. Her father was convicted of the murder and executed, but she doesn't believe he did it and wanted the truth. She still wants it. Jackson, drawn to her, says he'll find it.

As Jackson talks to people who were involved in the case or who remember the people, a picture emerges, and it's a strange one. There is a lot more to the case than meets the eye. And Jackson begins to realize that there's a lot more to him too, as he has a recurring dream that he can't shake.

Moody, atmospheric, well acted drama with a few twists that make for a fascinating story. The film goes back and forth from the trial or events leading up to the murder and back to the present day, with Jackson sometimes getting flashes of memory.

This was streaming on Netflix, then it left and came back. I'm not sure what the story is, but this film apparently isn't on DVD. I hope that it is soon and that others have an opportunity to see 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!

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.

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 was a made for TV movie and it's overall quality of screenplay is consistent with what you would normally expect. The story itself has a few twists and turns that keep you guessing and therefore is convincingly engaging as a thriller. David Strathairn was pretty solid in his role but I really did not find Mary Mcdonell very convincing - can't quite pin it exactly but there was something slightly odd about her performance. It does veer towards the unbelievable on a few occasions but it is still an enjoyable watch which is given more credibility with an unpredictable ending which I didn't expect. A good made for TV thriller. Nothing better.