One of the year’s obviously baity titles (which screened as early as the first quarter of the year for some) is Tony Goldwyn’s “Conviction” (formerly “Betty Anne Waters”). The film stars Hilary Swank as Waters in the true story of a young woman who puts herself through law school to represent her wrongfully convicted brother (played by Sam Rockwell, and about whom I hear great things). As for the trailer, thick accents? Check. “This is an important story” narrator? Check. Lofty music from multiple other weighty films? Check. Awards savvy studio? Check. (Searchlight also has Mark Romanek’s “Never Let Me Go” on the way, which also debuted a trailer earlier this week.)
Watch the “Conviction” trailer, via Apple, by clicking on the image below, or check out the embed after the jump.
Comments
33 responses to “‘Conviction’ trailer”
As someone who was kind of a fan of “Amelia” (if only for Swank), I can only hope that this isn’t her “The Blind Side” moment.
Since she’s won twice already, I wouldn’t think it could be her Blind Side moment. But I know what you mean.
As for the trailer/movie: either it rides high with noms for Pic, Dir, Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress, screenplay, etc. — or — maybe, hopefully at least a nom for Rockwell. He’s deserving.
The movie looks like a decent -to-good Hollwood drama. Hope it’s at least that good, if not better.
Yeeeeeeeeah Rockwell.
I cant help but be pulled into these trailers… but i kinda like this alot. Everytime i write off hilary swank, she comes back with a doozey of perf… I am in the camp who thought she deserved both of her wins, without a doubt. While i don’t think she will win her third oscar (Meryl has to do that first), this has a good chance of being her third nom.
Unlike half the blogosphere, I like Swank — the untempered hideosity of her “Amelia” performance aside — but she looks so effortfully noble in this trailer. I have a hunch this’ll go nowhere.
I thought she was kind of tremendous in “Amelia,” actually. Not Oscar-worthy, but really, really strong. Elevated the material.
another “life of david gale”?
I would welcome that. I loved “The Life of David Gale.”
Can’t agree with you about Swank in “Amelia,” MovieMan. The hee-haw mannerisms are exaggerated beyond the scale of the film’s own retro ambitions — it’s a drag act of a performance, though not an unamusing one. (Her best/worst moment actually comes in one of the deleted scenes: “I’m going camelling!”)
Rockwell looks so good. If for nothing else, I think this will get a Sup. Actor nom
Holy terrible
I thought for sure Chad would be enthralled by this trailer.
Can we pencil this in as the worst film of 2010?
A little Blood Diamond, a little The Island… music can make anything look good.
What a disappointment…the only nomination I see coming out of this is for Rockwell. Chad said it best, “Holy terrible.”
Looks terrible. Therefore Oscar noms for everybody!
Yeah, this looks awful. One of those movies that you hear about and dread, and then this trailer comes along and confirms every suspicion. Count me out.
It’s so difficult to judge a movie based on a trailer. These people who make these things, they seem to edit them by rote (I know they do, actually; I’ve watched some trailers being built in the editing room). Add a flash here, a loud bang here, have someone turning around in slo-mo, a snatch of dialogue, some “moving” choral music, and hey, you’ve transmitted what kind of movie this is. That said, as a trailer, I hate this movie. Looks like the worst kind of TV-movie claptrap around. (By the way, why have the narrator explain the plot of the movie to us when it’s pretty clear what’s going on?) For me, only the always reliable Rockwell makes it something to look forward to. I predict a not-so-stellar showing at the Oscars. Could be this year’s INVICTUS.
This is a movie that could easily be a montage. The way it is presented it seems completely unnecessary.
Also, why did she have to spend all that time putting herself through law school to come up with the idea to test the murder weapon for his DNA?
I really don’t know what to make of this film. When it was called Betty Anne Waters, it just needed the words “The” first and “Story” last to sound like at TV movie of the week kinda thing.
My guess after seeing the trailer is that it won’t get far during awards season. And I just don’t know what Tony Goldwyn can do as a director, since I haven’t really seen any of his work since his debut.
But as someone pointed out, this could be another The Life of David Gale thing. Probably an ok solid film, but nothing more.
“The Life of David Gale” was neither okay nor solid.
The only reason I’d be giving this movie a go is for the cast. I’m not big on Swank when she’s not in “Boys Don’t Cry” or “Million $ Baby”, but Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo AND Patron Saint of Awesome Fuck Yeah! Incredibleness Juliette Lewis is a-okay by me. In fact it is the “And Juliette Lewis” thing that’s really got me intrigued. Could she be the one-two scene wonder that occasionally emerges (Ruby Dee, Viola Davis for instance). It certainly looks like they might be positioning her that way. I can almost tell that her scene is going to be a big sorta lead up moment and then she’ll knock it outta the park with but a small amount of screen time.
Granted, I’m a huge fan of Lewis and want her back on movie sets permanently, so…
Poster is boring though, which is apt considering the title.
This trailer sucks. I look forward to seeing Rockwell and that is about it.
Finally Sam Rockwell will get a nomination, he deserves it since 2002. I think he should be campaigning lead.
Also Juliette Lewis seems to repeat a la Cape Fear
Wow, I didn’t even recognize Juliette Lewis in this trailer, it’s been a long time since she last played in a movie.
Umm, actually, she had a big role in Whip It last year.
@Guy RE: comment #5
I just wanted to point out that I freaking love the term “effortfully noble” and I hope I can find a way to use that in everyday speak.
Anyway, from the trailer alone, it does not do anything to interest me to see the film. I will wait for reviews and word from you guys of course but it just seems pretty Secretariat to me.
Michael: Thank you, I aim to please. In turn, I very much like the conversion of “Secretariat” into an adjective. I can already hear Randy Jackson on American Idol: “I dunno, it was just kinda Secretariat for me.”
haha, didn’t realize it but that is so true. It could really apply to any number of reality competition shows and/or try-too-hard movies
(Comment #9)
Guy, I just looked up that Amelia deleted scene, and it’s absolutely hilarious.
Hurrah. Those deleted scenes are nutso — who knew an entire Virginia Madsen performance was excised? (Considering how the film went down, she should think of it as a lucky escape.)
I think I’ll watch any movie that uses the score from ‘The Island” in their trailer.
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