Rent It. But Not For the Squeamish.

Rating: 7/10 (6 June 2000)

Good movie, but a perfect example of what a good editor could do for a film. This film needed an editor -- desperately. It was WAAAAAAYYYYY too long. That aside -- the acting was superb -- in particular Michael Clarke Duncan who turns in one of those once-in-a-lifetime performances. Of course, Tom Hanks is excellent (who would've thought that Kip of Bosom Buddies would become one of the great actors of American cinema?). What also gives this movie its heft are the great supporting actors like Michael Jeter.
I realize this movie is meant to change one's mind about capital punishment because it is set in the South amongst the stereotypical racists and rednecks and there is a particularly horrifying execution scene that lasts too long, but it didn't change my mind for those very reasons -- Hollywood is trying too hard to foist its political views on me.
Overall, the movie is excellent, and I would recommend it.