Touching story that will bring you back to the troubles of the time

Rating: 8/10 (13 April 2015)

To Kill a Mockingbird is a story that encompasses the racial issues of its time. Although it is a serious and, "grown up" topic, the movie is easy to follow and relate to for all ages. Atticus Finch is a well-to-do lawyer, who goes against social norms by representing a black man, (Tom Robinson) who is falsely accused of rape. There is dramatic irony in the sense that the audience is aware that Tom is innocent, but people in Alabama don't want to believe it. This is a gut-wrenching factor, as you can feel nothing but sympathy for the mistreatment this innocent man faces. I find the most moving part of this film to be the morals that Atticus works to implement on his children Scout & Jem. Although they are growing up in a highly segregated era, they are open-minded and kind to all who are kind to them, regardless of the stereotypes surrounding them. The movie does an excellent job reflecting the time period, through the use of derogatory language and clear separation of the races. For example, in the courthouse, blacks mustn't sit on the first floor. Instead, they are to watch from the balcony. Moreover, the most obvious example of separation is the fact that Tom Robinsons guilt is hardly questioned. And although the defense does an excellent job exposing the true culprit, Tom's ethnicity is enough to label him a rapist.