![]() When they meet, the ironically named Mercy (Kate Mara) aggressively flirts with the shy and confused Lucy, and the two sneak out for drinks at a bar. Lucy's eyes lock on those of a striking young woman from the other side. Across the parking lot, the pro-death penalty side hold their own signs and keep their own vigil. She travels around the country in a well-worn motorhome with her older sister Martha (Amy Seimetz, UPSTREAM COLOR) and their little brother Benjamin (Charlie Shotwell, CAPTAIN FANTASTIC), as they partake in the anti-death penalty demonstrations outside the prison gates as the next execution takes place. With this latest, however, Israeli director Tali Shalom-Ezer and British writer Joe Barton combine for a romantic story where death row plays a vital part. The only one I can remember that even comes close to also being a love story is MONSTER'S BALL (2001), and if you've seen it, you would likely agree that it's not exactly a warm and fuzzy story of romance. These include: THE GREEN MILE (1999), DEAD MAN WALKING (1995), THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE (2003), and TRUE CRIME (1999). There have been some fine movies centered on death row. For a conclusion it is hard to say what the message of this movie is, for example: in a life and death situation, who cares if a few girls are making out? Love conquers all? Puritans eat your heart out? That's the nice thing it is left to your own means to unravel. Also it becomes apparent that driving around in a rickety RV has the benefit of being able to have erotic interludes on stopovers. The interaction between the women as they court each other is endearing as much as convincing, the latter the two actresses are likely more fond of to hear. It is certainly the power of this movie to evoke a feeling of being uncomfortable in the swaying of your own beliefs or at least being forced to look at the matter from the other side's perspective. ![]() ![]() The classy lawyer starts to dig into her friends' case by unearthing some facts about the sentence of her father and then, given those facts, while it is not said in so many words evokes at least some sympathy for the eventual execution, even if it is a sordid business. But when the lines start to blur it is getting interesting. Class, as in being a well educated lawyer compared against being a mere hopeful to land a job as a waitress could be a thing, more importantly in this story if your dad is on death row there's no favorite karma in ending up in a fling with somebody who thinks there's consolation for the victims in the killing of a convict. With so many divisive forces to drive a relationship apart, it becomes in fact a consoling thought there isn't at least a gender gap between the two women in this remarkable love story. ![]()
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