Very good film showing how the police can go overboard when things look bad for a suspect. A murder is committed during an overnight party at a home and a boy is the prime suspect after he becomes confused over his actions after the party was over. He couldn't remember whether or not he did the crime; leading to his arrest, the ostracization of the family, and a big court action. Do attorneys really go home with their clients and have dinner with them?
3 Reviews
Disturbing because it is supposedly a true story
jbuck_91917 December 2002
This is a slightly spoiling comment, so be warned.
People scoff at hypnosis because it is such an odd phenomenon, but it is real, and it is apparently true that memories can be erased and replaced, and it helps if you don't use the magic word (I'm about to hypnotize you) but just get the job done some other way.
This movie would never had been made if it had not been a true story, because it seems too improbable. The expert witness who eventually vindicates the boy is a represenstation of a real character who has helped out in many crimes (not by hypnotizing people but sometimes by showing that they are faking). The wonder is that they found a lawyer good enough to track down the guy.
Good performances all around by a little known cast. Odd side moments like the baseball game and the pre-sex in the back shack add to the atmosphere.
People scoff at hypnosis because it is such an odd phenomenon, but it is real, and it is apparently true that memories can be erased and replaced, and it helps if you don't use the magic word (I'm about to hypnotize you) but just get the job done some other way.
This movie would never had been made if it had not been a true story, because it seems too improbable. The expert witness who eventually vindicates the boy is a represenstation of a real character who has helped out in many crimes (not by hypnotizing people but sometimes by showing that they are faking). The wonder is that they found a lawyer good enough to track down the guy.
Good performances all around by a little known cast. Odd side moments like the baseball game and the pre-sex in the back shack add to the atmosphere.
Always tell the truth when questioned.
OllieSuave-00730 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This is a little intriguing made-for-tv movie, where teenager Christopher Hansen (Karl David-Djerf) is accused of murdering a young lady friend and confessed to the crime while under hypnosis. However, his mother (Leigh Taylor-Young) tries to prove his innocence because the evidence does not add up.
Along the same lines of another made-for-tv movie called My Son is Innocent, the journey toward innocence is mixed in with the neighbors turning against Christopher and his parents, taunting phone calls, and an inept police investigation into the case. This all give the movie a fast-paced plot and gripping drama that puts into focus the flaws of investigative techniques and the importance of evidence, telling the truth, and good legal representation.
***spoiler ahead***
However, the movie does suffer from an anti-climax, as we don't see those responsible for the crime brought to justice.
***spoiler ends***
I remembered first watching this movie when I was a teenager but didn't finish it. Glad I found the title of it on IMDb and the movie on YouTube years later. It has some very good and convincing acting, and the plot leaves you eager to find out what happens next.
Grade B.
Along the same lines of another made-for-tv movie called My Son is Innocent, the journey toward innocence is mixed in with the neighbors turning against Christopher and his parents, taunting phone calls, and an inept police investigation into the case. This all give the movie a fast-paced plot and gripping drama that puts into focus the flaws of investigative techniques and the importance of evidence, telling the truth, and good legal representation.
***spoiler ahead***
However, the movie does suffer from an anti-climax, as we don't see those responsible for the crime brought to justice.
***spoiler ends***
I remembered first watching this movie when I was a teenager but didn't finish it. Glad I found the title of it on IMDb and the movie on YouTube years later. It has some very good and convincing acting, and the plot leaves you eager to find out what happens next.
Grade B.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
