Dead Man Out

Sentimentality doesn't add much to a story. So many films I've seen have been claimed as realistic, only to prove themselves attached to the common movie-making conventions of so-called "true stories". "Dead Man Out" is not a true story. But it is a believable one. Danny Glover and Rubén Blades have an intense personal interaction here, and a script that gives them every possible opportunity to explore it. These are two marvelous performances seen here, painfully convincing in depth.

This film's director, Richard Pearce - and cinematographer Michel Brault - worked together in 1981 on "Threshold". Like that film, they take a familiar set of circumstances, previously covered ground, and see it in a new and deeper way. One film was a medical drama, this is a prison film. It's both like and unlike so many other stories of similar focus. By stripping way down and neatly avoiding most clichés, "Dead Man Out" becomes a lean and muscular depiction of real people.

This curious American television movie was an international co-production between Granada Television and HBO.

It was a time when many ITV companies had lofty ambitions to branch out from just domestic television in Britain. Hence even dipping their toes in making movies for cinema.

Despite some strong language, this is for cable television. It is essentially a two hander.

Ben (Ruben Blades) is the Diner Slayer, who killed four people. He has been in death row for eight years. After all the appeals and stays of execution. Now Ben insane and if that is the case. An insane convict cannot be executed.

Dr Alex Marsh (Donald Glover) has been called in by the state. He is a psychiatrist and is job is to evaluate Ben. If Dr Marsh is of the opinion that Ben is sane, then he can be executed.

First he needs to get through to Ben. He is violent and uncooperative. Not communicating. Eventually Dr Marsh gets through but then, he knows that he will send Ben to his death.

A lot of the psychological impact is lost when Ben comes out of his shell. By then you get the feeling he is alright and just trying it on. It was probably an overdramatic ending. At least both leads give thoughtful performances.

The climax is Ben taking matters in his own hands. Especially after another prisoner Calvin Fredricks (Samuel L Jackson) on death row is sent to the electric chair.

The only reason I can't give this movie a 10 is because it dragged a bit during the scenes when Glover would stare at the pictures of the killing spree. It didn't really fit into the movie, or at least not for me. But the scenes with Glover and Blades were nothing less than remarkable. I don't know if Blades got any awards for this movie, but if he didn't, he was robbed. He was outstanding.

Dead Man Out is a subtle and captivating film. I happened upon it one night while on a rode trip and was quietly riveted until the final credits. This was at least five years ago and I still feel the intensity of the relationship between the Blades character and the Glover character. For me it was emotionally honest without any sentimentality. Ruben Blades was amazing, I had never seen his acting before this movie. The death row, capital punishment discussions are fraught with opinion, which the film reflects. The transformative nature of the relationship between Glover, the attorney and Blades, the convicted takes the issue and the watcher into the realm of redemption and personal responsibility if they care to go.