Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
When Betty Anne Waters' older brother Kenny is arrested for murder and sentenced to life in 1983, Betty Anne, a Massachusetts wife and mother of two, dedicates her life to overturning the murder conviction. Convinced that her brother is innocent, Betty Anne puts herself through high school, college and, finally, law school in an 18 year quest to free Kenny. With the help of best friend Abra Rice, Betty Anne pores through suspicious evidence mounted by small town cop Nancy Taylor, meticulously retracing the steps that led to Kenny's arrest. Belief in her brother - and her quest for the truth - pushes Betty Anne and her team to uncover the facts and utilize DNA evidence with the hope of exonerating Kenny.
Conviction is a competent, fact-based legal drama elevated significantly by Hilary Swank's committed, emotionally grounded performance as Betty Anne Waters, with solid support from Sam Rockwell. The plot follows a fairly conventional 'wrongful conviction' template—dedication, obstacles, eventual vindication—without subverting audience expectations or adding structural complexity. Cinematography is workmanlike and unremarkable, serviceable but forgettable. Novelty is limited; the wrongful conviction genre was well-trodden by 2010, and while the sibling devotion angle adds warmth, the film doesn't distinguish itself stylistically or thematically. The ending is satisfying on an emotional level given the true story basis, but the final act feels slightly rushed and tidy.