IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6.5K
YOUR RATING
After two decades in prison for murder, a man is released on parole and returns to his hometown seeking redemption.After two decades in prison for murder, a man is released on parole and returns to his hometown seeking redemption.After two decades in prison for murder, a man is released on parole and returns to his hometown seeking redemption.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6.5K
YOUR RATING
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Videos2
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
The film discusses a philosophical approach at redemption. The protagonist Manual Jordan has gotten parole from a life sentence for the murder of Abner Easley, and returns to the city he lived in to try to seek redemption. He ends up living and working at a community house run by a preacher, Miles Evans. The film is equipped with beautiful voice-overs about the meaning of life and different philosophies for getting redeemed. Manual also becomes friends with Adele Easley, his victim's sister, in an attempt to make up for what he did. While working at the home he has interactions with Sofia Mellinger, the druggie daughter of a famous singer, struggling with the lack of adult guidance in her life. —Dave Samuelson
- fbi federal bureau of investigation
- man with long hair
- prison release
- redemption
- community house
- 132 more
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for language
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaEd Solomon wrote the screenplay over twenty years.
- GoofsWhile some have commented that Morgan Freeman's voice changes dramatically throughout the film, it is a major plot point that he is living a lie, living under an assumed identity and not particularly good at it. It is related to the theme of doing good, even though you may not be particularly good at it, nor be able to continue doing it for very long. It sounds unnatural for Morgan because it is unnatural for his character.
- Quotes
Miles Evans: For pay, I got a room at a hundred dollars a month, which you can work down to nothing if you'll help with cleaning.
Manuel Jordan: What makes you think I need a room?
Miles Evans: God told me. You're carrying your damn suitcase, man.
- Crazy creditsThanks to ... Terry & Siobhan ... Cynthia, Evan and Olivia ...
- ConnectionsReferenced in The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Ed Solomon (2007)
- SoundtracksCool for Miles
Performed by Johnny Hawksworth (as Johnny Hawksworth)
Courtesy of DeWolfe Music
By arrangement with Media Creature Music
Top review
Redemption can be a long road
How does one make things right? Seek forgiveness? Where does redemption reside and how do you get there? How does a wounded soul reconcile guilt? This is a slow and thoughtful character study set during a grim and dreary winter in an urban town. This is not a Hollywood movie. It's raw with real life. It's apparent ugliness is its sheer inescapable beauty. Morality does exist no matter how we try to hide. Thornton, after spending over 20 years in prison for the murder of a young convenience store clerk during a robbery gone haywire in his youth, is drawn to return to his old neighborhood to visit the older sister of the young man he killed, played by Holly Hunter. She doesn't quite know who he really is since so many years have gone by. Thornton was content to live out his remaining years behind bars but must now face his past because his sentence was suddenly commuted. Bleak with melancholy, this type of film gets shunned by audiences and it's a shame. Morgan Freeman plays a mysterious soup kitchen minister who has his own issues, whom Thornton comes to work for. Freeman is a natural actor and believable in any role. The story unfolds slowly without gimmicks. At times, Thornton happens to find himself visited by the ghostly apparition of the young man whom he killed, while he is in the process of seeking resolution and atonement. His simple desire is to somehow make amends. He wants to be forgiven but, strangely, he is unable and unwilling to forgive himself. Unfortunately, unresolved redemption seems to be too deep a theme for contemporary audiences who are hooked on chills and thrills and pyrotechnics. This is an independent film, the kind that many people just don't get. A movie for your quiet time or a rainy night. Something different and refreshing. And no silly happy ending to mar the proceedings.
helpful•40
- alohahome
- Aug 12, 2010
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Раскаяние
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $7,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $209,695
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $30,599
- Apr 6, 2003
- Gross worldwide
- $723,040
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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