Monday, July 9, 2012

The Conspirator (PG-13) 7.5

The Conspirator (2010): Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life. (6.9)

Director: Robert Redford
Writers: James D. Solomon, Gregory Bernstein
Stars: Robin Wright, James McAvoy and Tom Wilkinson

As a historical movie, this is quite a remarkable work.  I'm no Civil War buff, but I think, they got most of the story right. You get a sense that this is pretty close to a documentary. However, knowing the characters involved, and knowing that there certainly is doubt about how much Mary Surratt was entangled in the plot to assassinate the man who saved the Union, I couldn't sympathize with her plight. But the movie does present her as more than a one dimensional figure. The period costumes and scenes are nicely done. Acting is superb. The dialog may be a tad bit modern in a few places, but that's not a big deal. My Rating: 7.5

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