Ódio Mortal

After watching the Morrison Murders I was greatly disappointed in this movie. The acting and directing were very dull, flat and boring. I think that the script had to be very poorly written because the whole story dragged itself on and on and...Even the motive of the killer was unconvincing. When the killer was taken away to his cel he looked at the camera with a very astonished face hardly believing what he had seen or heard the past 90 minutes. And so did we!

This true story is one of my favorites this was executed excellent. I remember first seeing this when it came out in the 90s and I see it on TV often, I have the DVD. All the actors were great, especially the brothers. The ending is a shocking sad twist. Very good! I don't like giving away spoilers so you have to see for yourself. Bottom line, one of my classic favorites I gave it a 10 because I thought it was excellent from start to finish!

Three members of a wealthy family are found dead in their home, victims of gunshots. Real-life names, including the family surname, have been changed for this movie. Though the story is set in Georgia, the actual crime took place in Alabama, in September of 1988. Also unlike the movie, the actual crime went cold for four years. And the real-life killer was arrested in Oklahoma City.

The film is a pretty good reenactment of events after the killings, with a plot that is straightforward and easy to follow. The script downplays the whodunit element in favor of a crime/character drama. As a result, mystery is rather minimal. The killer comes across as conspicuously stupid. Toward the end, law enforcement sets a trap for the killer. And the unpredictability of the trap's outcome ups the suspense.

Background music is a bit generic, consistent with the film's TV production. Overall casting and acting are acceptable, though the actor who plays the sheriff seems a little out of place in the South. The camera is fairly static. There are lots of close-ups as we would expect for a character drama. Sets and costumes are mediocre.

The story's significance is reduced in the minds of some viewers because the story is described in the form of a made-for-TV film. And that's my main criticism. But it is a sad story, and no less real for all those who were in any way connected to it.

"The Morrison Murders" is worth watching for anyone interested in true crime. Despite the overall sadness of events, there's a slight twist at the very end, one that takes a little bit of the sting out of what one normally would expect, given the circumstances.

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.

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.