La Vie de David Gale

** 1/2 out of ****

The Life of David Gale was slammed by critics for being a sanctimonious preachfest. I prefer to view the movie as a mystery/thriller with the death penalty views as a background for its plot. Seen as thus, this is a mostly satisfying thriller, packed with just the right amount of twists and turns, red herrings, and intriguing characters to entertain for its two-hour running time.

Kate Winslet (look prettier than ever) star as Bitsey Bloom, a journalist who is on task to interview David Gale (Kevin Spacey) before he is to be executed in three days. He was a former professor sentenced for the rape and murder of Constance Harraway (Laura Linney), who along with Gale, were close friends and advocates against the death penalty. As Gale unfolds the tale of the last few months of his life before the murder, she slowly begins to believe he might actually be innocent and that the real killer could be very well out there, watching her every move.

As I said before, The Life of David Gale is a very entertaining thriller. Seen as just that, a thriller, it does have its flaws, some of it pertaining to Winslet. Her performance is actually quite good, it's that, as is the case with a lot of movies in this genre, the "detectives" are usually the least well-developed characters, simply because they're there to gather the facts and piece the clues together. The only things we know about her is that she's determined and very tenacious.

Both Spacey and Linney are excellent, convincing in their portrayals of normal individuals who suffer plenty of heartbreak in their lives, with the latter eventually losing hers in a brutal manner. Spacey, during the interview scenes, exudes an aura of mystery and quiet uneasiness, basically the same style of acting he's relied on almost his entire career. Still, he's good at it, but one wonders when he'll really break out into something completely different.

The film runs smoothly for most of its running time, and the movie's first big twist, revealed with about a half-hour left, caught me off-guard, in a good way. It's the final scene that irks me. That last shot should have been omitted from the film, as it negates the purpose of much of what went on the previous two hours and might even make you lose complete respect for one of its major characters. Director Alan Parker obviously meant for this shot to chill us, and while it will probably to that effect initially, you're going to feel cheated once the credits have rolled.

"The Life of David Gale" is a terrific thriller and is one of the best of 2003. Despite going to this movie through the worst date of my life... shudder, I still have nightmares, this movie was the silver lining. I was very excited to see this movie because it has such an awesome actor, obviously Kevin Spacey and then a great actress Kate Winslet.

This political thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing what's going to happen next. Wither you're for or against or undecided about the death penalty, this movie gets to you and keeps you thinking after wards about our justice system in the United States. David Gale is an accused murderer on death row, his last few days he requests to be interviewed by Bitsey Bloom, a journalist who likes to keep her mouth shut even when she shouldn't. He tells her his incredible story about from being one of the most respected men in Texas to one of the most hated for being accused of rape.

"No one sees a person when they look through that glass, they see a murderer and a rapist three days shy of his execution". Is he guilty or not? Trying to figure this out in the story you jump to your own conclusion, this man has been accused of rape, murder, he's lost his family and friends. Take away everything and find out if people just overlook cases or if we should judge the first minute we hear one side of the story. The Life of David Gale is an amazing story that will keep you interested. Just trust me, it's a great movie. I can even watch it without having nightmares about my horrific date. :) OK, just watch it.

10/10

Ive been reading some of the user comments here on IMDB, and am a little stunned that most of them didnt really get the plot, and therefore shouldnt really comment on how "bad" it is. Like Winslet not having any chance in understanding the plot, thats the entire point of the movie, and if you didnt get that, you should not comment on how "bad" it is.

This movie is by far Spacey's strongest performance since the magical Se7en. Actually, all leading actors gives amazing performances in this movie that has a plot taken out from heaven. It will leave you moping, gasping for air. Giving Hollywood stick for a "too complicated script" is silly, since its far too seldom Hollywood actually offers a script like this. I would rather welcome that fact, than be mad about it.

If you feel you have what it takes to crack this puzzle before it unveals, go see this movie instantly, and be prepared to be taken on a journey.

The Life of David Gale (2003)

Whether you are pro or anti death penalty, there's not getting past the sensational, brave, and maybe insane elements of this story. Based on fact about a death row inmate who had been famous as a death row protester, the core of the movie is how a young reporter (a convincing Kate Winslet) interviews the inmate (an equally convincing Kevin Spacey) in the days before his scheduled execution. We are gradually shown the backstory through their interviews, and another story builds as the reporter chases down new leads, including missing video evidence. Laura Linney plays an important third lead that starts to throw doubts into everyone's mind, including the audience's.

All of this sounds like a great movie should have come out of it: superb casting and acting, a great story with believable but astounding twists, and a nice tight framework, day by day, with methodical flashbacks. Instead the movie both tries too hard and fumbles some of the key moments. What is clearly dramatic is sometimes made over-dramatic (Winslet running and running and running, or words like "innocent" spinning across the screen between scenes). Other sensationalist add-ons make the movie cheap (seeing a chaingang neatly working along the road just as they drive by). And simple reactions aren't believable (they way characters respond to someone following them, or to other threats). This is important stuff for a movie trying to recreate the truth.

By my guess, the director is the key suspect, though he has a raft of successful films behind him, including the closest echo, Midnight Express (1978), which is about injustice and a prisoner who is extraordinary. But in all his films (that I've seen, which is quite a few, it turns out), there is a feeling of powerful story line carrying the day (Mississippi Burning, Birdy). Parker has also made a series of films tied to contemporary music, from Evita which is fair to The Commitments which is terrific fun, as well as The Wall, which might be his best film in all, though a difficult one. All of these films have a great setting, either musically or geographically.

Here we have only the dull backdrop of conservative Texas (if that's not redundant). And a blazing, heartwrenching story. Which is fair enough as a start. The Life of David Gale is a powerful morality tale, most of all, with some great acting, and many or most people watching will be glad they saw it. All those little flaws fade further and further as you get toward the end.

And then the end, the famous big final twist. That's memorable stuff. Wow.

Don't be put off by one movie critic's assessment (morally dishonest, no stars) of this film - he just didn't "get it." This character driven murder mystery is one of the decade's best! Definitely four stars!

The layered conflicts drive the story forward like a Mack truck careening down the side of a mountain, making the movie seem much shorter than its 130 minutes. Kevin Spacey's compelling portrayal of David Gale, a brilliant, principled man with more than his share of human flaws and bad luck, is excellent and is surely Oscar material.

The story begins four days before Gale's execution in a Texas prison. Gale is finally breaking his years of silence by agreeing to tell his side of the story to news-magazine reporter, Bitsey Bloom. Skeptical that this Death Row inmate is out to convince her, and the world, of his innocence, Bitsey takes the assignment expecting it to be a typical, no-brainer.

Gale's story is told in a series of tightly choreographed flashback sequences, each building in character, motive and momentum toward an exciting and most unexpected conclusion.

The story also puts a very fine point on the debate over the death penalty and gives its audience something to talk & think about on the way home.

Not since "Presumed Innocent" have I been so deliciously unable to predict an ending! It is a pleasure to leave the theater feeling completely happy about having invested the price of my ticket in this movie! It is two hours very well spent.