The Life of David Gale: Fascinating or Flawed? A Film Critique of the controversial movie starring Kevin Spacey. Topics include assisted suicide and Texas death row.
The Life of David Gale: Fascinating or Flawed?
David Gale used to be a pillar of society. He was a respected philosophy professor at a prestigious Texas university where he was popular with both his colleagues and students. When David wasn't busy being a devoted family man and father, David was very passionate about dedicating his free time to supporting Death Watch, an advocacy group opposed to the death penalty. This all changes when David (played by Kevin Spacey), is wrongly accused of raping a student. David loses everything of importance and turns to the comforts of alcohol. When Constance Hallaway (played by Laura Linney), David's best friend, fellow professor, and co-director of Death Watch is brutally raped and murdered, all signs point to David and he is charged with her homicide. Ironically, David finds himself on death row and a victim of the very laws he has worked to change. With just four days until his execution, David decides to give a one-time exclusive interview to Elizabeth "Bitsey" Bloom (played by Kate Winslet), a smart and sassy journalist who is looking for an award-winning story. As David's life unfolds, Bitsey begins to realize that David is not responsible for Constance's death. Bitsey has no choice but to try to piece together the clues of this intriguing murder mystery in time to save David from execution.
This movie was very interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat in anticipation. While the movie was sometimes difficult to follow, it worked well for the story. Because of the fast pace, I was forced to watch closely and pay attention to details. While the acting was not superb, Spacey and Linney did give very believable performances. The cinematography of the film flowed together smoothly and helped in distinguishing between present time and flashback shots.
After watching The Life of David Gale, I was surprised that critics did not support the film. While I agree that this movie is not Oscar winning cinema, The Life of David
David Gale used to be a pillar of society. He was a respected philosophy professor at a prestigious Texas university where he was popular with both his colleagues and students. When David wasn't busy being a devoted family man and father, David was very passionate about dedicating his free time to supporting Death Watch, an advocacy group opposed to the death penalty. This all changes when David (played by Kevin Spacey), is wrongly accused of raping a student. David loses everything of importance and turns to the comforts of alcohol. When Constance Hallaway (played by Laura Linney), David's best friend, fellow professor, and co-director of Death Watch is brutally raped and murdered, all signs point to David and he is charged with her homicide. Ironically, David finds himself on death row and a victim of the very laws he has worked to change. With just four days until his execution, David decides to give a one-time exclusive interview to Elizabeth "Bitsey" Bloom (played by Kate Winslet), a smart and sassy journalist who is looking for an award-winning story. As David's life unfolds, Bitsey begins to realize that David is not responsible for Constance's death. Bitsey has no choice but to try to piece together the clues of this intriguing murder mystery in time to save David from execution.
This movie was very interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat in anticipation. While the movie was sometimes difficult to follow, it worked well for the story. Because of the fast pace, I was forced to watch closely and pay attention to details. While the acting was not superb, Spacey and Linney did give very believable performances. The cinematography of the film flowed together smoothly and helped in distinguishing between present time and flashback shots.
After watching The Life of David Gale, I was surprised that critics did not support the film. While I agree that this movie is not Oscar winning cinema, The Life of David