Plot
Can an over-the-hill journalist uncover the evidence that can prove a death row inmate's innocence just hours before his execution?

Release Year: 1999

Rating: 6.4/10 (15,494 voted)

Critic's Score: 65/100

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Clint Eastwood, Isaiah Washington, Lisa Gay Hamilton

Storyline
Steve Everett, Oakland Tribune journalist with a passion for women and alcohol, is given the coverage of the upcoming execution of murderer Frank Beachum. His attractive colleague Michelle died in a car accident the night before. Bob Findley, Steve's boss and husband to Steve's current affair, wants him dead and gone as soon as possible. When Steve stumbles across the possibility of Frank Beachum being innocently on death row, Bob feels his time to have come. Now Steve only has a few hours left to prove the innocence of Frank and to be right with this theory, as he definitely will be history if he's not.

Writers: Andrew Klavan, Larry Gross

Cast:
Clint Eastwood - Steve Everett
Isaiah Washington - Frank Louis Beechum
Lisa Gay Hamilton - Bonnie Beechum
James Woods - Alan Mann
Denis Leary - Bob Findley
Bernard Hill - Warden Luther Plunkitt
Diane Venora - Barbara Everett
Michael McKean - Reverend Shillerman
Michael Jeter - Dale Porterhouse
Mary McCormack - Michelle Ziegler
Hattie Winston - Angela Russel
Penny Bae Bridges - Gail Beechum
Francesca Fisher-Eastwood - Kate Everett
John Finn - Reedy
Laila Robins - Patricia Findley

Official Website: Warner Bros. |

Release Date: 19 March 1999

Filming Locations: Cotati, California, USA

Opening Weekend: $5,276,109 (USA) (21 March 1999) (1852 Screens)

Gross: $16,635,339 (USA) (23 May 1999)

Runtime: 127 min

Trivia:
Denis Leary stated that he had never watched this movie, believing that his head would explode if he saw himself acting in a scene next to Clint Eastwood.

Goofs:
Continuity: When picking the lock to Michell's door, it is a full steel door in a street, but when he enters he comes in through a glass door from a backyard.

Quotes:
Steve Everett: Mister Beachum... Frankly I don't give a rat's ass about Jesus Christ and I don't care about justice in this world, or the next.

Fairly Engaging

Rating: 7/10

True Crime is a fairly engaging movie that has some good performances. Eastwood as the director stages the action well and moves the plot forward. Only in the scenes where he takes his daughter to the zoo does the film tend to lose a little momentum. Then again, a scene like that helps illustrate the character that Eastwood is playing. He'll follow a story, but he'll try to make time for his daughter. Eastwood the actor, he seems to enjoy the roles of the tough but flawed theme. His character in True Crime is a womanizer, and a former drunk. Good characters always have flaws and Eastwood can play them with his eyes closed. The supporting cast is well rounded and helps advance the narrative. The only qualm I had was that Eastwood the director, should've tightened the running time and made the story that much more urgent. We've all seen the beat the clock films and this one's no exception. What could've made this movie better is a brisker pace, but Eastwood the director chose a more laid back style. After thirty years in the business, Eastwood can do whatever he wants with his films. He's earned it.

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