High Crimes

Directed by Carl Franklin, High Crimes follows lawyer Claire Kubik (Ashley Judd) as she springs into action after her husband (Jim Caviezel’s Tom) is accused of massacring nine civilians during a covert operation – with the narrative detailing Claire’s efforts at working side-by-side with two very different attorneys (Adam Scott’s green Terence and Morgan Freeman’s seasoned Charlie). Filmmaker Franklin, armed with Yuri Zeltser and Grace Cary Bickley’s screenplay, delivers a by-the-numbers thriller that generally remains watchable and entertaining throughout, as the movie, which runs an admittedly overlong 115 minutes, benefits from its smattering of exciting sequences and raft of first-class performances – with Judd’s stirring efforts matched by an eclectic supporting cast that includes Amanda Peet, Bruce Davison, and Michael Shannon. And while it’s never difficult to predict where everything is going, High Crimes‘ smooth-and-steady execution ensures that the viewer’s attention rarely flags for the duration of its running time – with the end result a decent-enough courtroom thriller that slips from one’s memory moments after it concludes.

**1/2 out of ****