High Crimes [DVD] [2002]

Freeman is paired with Ashley Judd in this 2002 film, five years after they worked together in "Kiss the Girls." However, this time Judd does the heavy lifting and the basic premise is quite compelling. Judd plays Claire Kubik, a defense attorney whose is about to make partner at a big law firm. Life is good. But then her husband is arrested by the FBI and changed with having murdered civilians is El Salvador when he was in the Army. That is only half the shock, because Claire also finds out that he married her under an assumed name. Her husband is going to be court-martialed for the massacre and if found guilty he will be sentenced to death. But when she sees the young first lieutenant (Adam Scott) assigned to defend the case, she makes herself co-counsel, and, to help her understand the playing field, she tracks down Charlie Grimes (Freeman), an ex-military lawyer and recovering alcoholic.

The character's alcoholism is one of the aforementioned buttons, because of course the sobriety of Grimes comes into play. I will grant that the situation is contrived well in terms of the plot, but contrivance becomes the key word to describe this plot element. The net benefit is a mild sense of concern because, well, Grimes is played by Morgan Freeman and is clearly a good guy. The other button that gets pushed is that "High Crimes" is another one of these films were the United States military is portrayed as being psychopathic killers. Not only that, they are INCOMPETENCE psychopathic killers. Claire's husband claims somebody else is to blame and that there is a conspiracy going on and eventually she starts getting too close to the truth and shadowy figures try to take care of her in a way that is ultimately guaranteed to shine even more publicity on this case. Fortunately, some of the shadowy figures are on Claire's side.

I want to point out that my disdain for the U.S. military being portrayed as incompetent psychopathic killers existed long before the war to liberate Iraq. Just as I got tired of villains turning out to be Nazis and drug crazed Vietnam vets, I am already tired of villains being ultra-right military men whose ideological beliefs overwhelms their professionalism and sense of morality. Claire's husband says the real killer is a guy named Hernandez (Juan Carlos Hernández), now a Major, who looks brazenly homicidal. But the military is covering things up apparently, so it is not a big deal.

Judd's performance is what hold the movie together on these terms. She might be questioning everything her husband ever told her since the day they met but in the courtroom here legal instincts take over. Every motion she makes might be denied, but she knows how to dissect witnesses with a nice combination of sharp questions and pointed attitude. This is one of those films where it ain't over until its over, so I was ticked off, but I was also entertained, so if you have different buttons than I do you will obviously enjoy this film more than I did. Also, a tip of the hat to Tom Bower as FBI Special Agent Mullins, who gets off some nice shots during a scene with Claire on a park bench; always nice to see a veteran actor milk his little scene for everything it is worth.

Claire Kubrik (Ashley Judd) is a high powered attorney who though she knew everything about her husband, Tom, until he is arrested for crimes he committed in El Salvador, whilst a member of a Special Forces detachment.

Claire vows to defend her husband, but being uninitiated in military law she recruits ex-marine Charlie Grimes (Morgan Freeman) to her cause. For all his legal knowledge, Grimes has a reputation for being something of a loose cannon and a reformed alcoholic to boot.

And this is where you get the feeling you’ve seen it all before, although its rather well shot and some of the action scenes are well presented you do feel that the direction is running to a script.

That’s not to say that Judd and Freeman don’t generate some good atmosphere between themselves and you get the feeling that they are obviously enjoying the experience of the film. Both put in good solid performances (as you would expect) and they try to get as much from their roles as possible. There’s not much in the way of support, especially from Jim Caviezel (as Claire’s husband) but both Adam Scott and Amanda Peet put in some great turns with more than a little sweet romance.

Don’t expect anything new here, but this is never the less a good solid thriller adventure film and is well worth checking out.