As a fan of "Witness for the Prosecution" I admit to a fondness for surprises, for twists at the end of suspense films. "A Murder of Crows" joins a select few films where the writer/director shows you the story, and then says, "Oops, remember when I explained that? Well, I lied." Over and over we discover that's what Rowdy Herrington has done to us. You should see this movie. I did -- twice, back to back. It was better the second time.
What distinguishes this film from others, like "The List of Adrian Messenger" and even "Sleuth," is not that we are surprised but that our surprises grow out of an examination of conscience. We find ourselves pulling for a near alcoholic, disbarred attorney whose lies and plagiarism take him to the top of New Orleans society. That the film begins with him in jail does not diminish one whit our desire for his eventual escape.
That's partly the doing of the story and direction. It also results from Cuba Gooding Jr's very best performance. His academy award, I'm told, was for his good looking butt; he shows it again in this movie. He can't get nominated for this film, but he should. I estimate he is in 95% of the set ups. Mr. Gooding is the film. He is not a kid now. He's graduated from Da Hood. He's black, but that's irrelevant in this film; he could as easily have been green. Only a few black actors have so far transcended their blackness; Cuba took a long step with this property. Recommended most highly!
What distinguishes this film from others, like "The List of Adrian Messenger" and even "Sleuth," is not that we are surprised but that our surprises grow out of an examination of conscience. We find ourselves pulling for a near alcoholic, disbarred attorney whose lies and plagiarism take him to the top of New Orleans society. That the film begins with him in jail does not diminish one whit our desire for his eventual escape.
That's partly the doing of the story and direction. It also results from Cuba Gooding Jr's very best performance. His academy award, I'm told, was for his good looking butt; he shows it again in this movie. He can't get nominated for this film, but he should. I estimate he is in 95% of the set ups. Mr. Gooding is the film. He is not a kid now. He's graduated from Da Hood. He's black, but that's irrelevant in this film; he could as easily have been green. Only a few black actors have so far transcended their blackness; Cuba took a long step with this property. Recommended most highly!