Conviction --- How far would you go to save someone you love?

Conviction is most likely a film you don't know much about and worse, its probably a story you know even less about. Its a story about just how far one person is willing to go for someone they love and what humans really are capable of. Based on the true story of Kenny Waters and his sister Betty Anne Waters, Conviction makes you ask what you would do in a similar situation and shows that although the system isn't perfect, things today are a lot better than days past.

Sam Rockwell (Iron Man 2, Frost/Nixon, The Green Mile) stars as Kenny Waters, a husband, father, brother, flawed man who is convicted of a murder he says he didn't commit. The only person who believes him is his sister Betty Anne portrayed by Academy Award Winner Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry, Million Dollar Baby). Betty Anne, a wife and mother herself, seeing that no one will help her brother, decides to go to law school to save him. Sounds impressive enough until you realize she doesn't even have a G.E.D. because of coming from a broken home in Ayer, Massachusetts.

Through years of hard work, struggle and personal losses with her family, Betty Anne finally passes the Bar Exam just to fight even longer because of a corrupt system and corrupt cops and people not wanting to look like they made mistakes. Residents of Massachusetts will love one name in particular being thrown around for blame (Martha Coakley). If you do not know the story, you do not know what happens in the end and movie reviews should never give away the ending even if they mention spoiler warnings, so you aren't going to find out what happens to Kenny in this review.  And don't cheat and Google it.

Just like the characters, Conviction has its flaws. A bit slow in spots, a bit predictable (although being based on a true story, its really not the film's fault). One thing Hollywood needs to do is stop trying to do the Boston accent. Yes Boston people talk differently than other people in this country, but Hilary Swank's accent was quite difficult to listen to at first especially compared to Sam Rockwell's and other characters in the film. Just don't do the accent at all.

Academy Award Nominee Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) gives a great performance as the "other old lady" in law school and as Betty Anne's friend and supporter. Although the best performance might be by Academy Award Nominee Melissa Leo (Frozen River) as dirty cop Nancy Taylor. And there is a tremendous scene with Peter Gallagher (The OC, Covert Affairs) and Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear, Natural Born Killers).

Conviction is directed by Tony Goldwyn who unfortunately is known more for directing television than film and come on he's the bad guy in Ghost, but studios should come calling after seeing his work on this film. Ben Affleck is making a name for himself as actor turned director, but Goldwyn and others like Tom McCarthy (go see The Station Agent) should get more opportunities behind the camera.

Overall a good film, it should garner some awards talk (especially for Sam Rockwell who needs to win an award soon). A hit for Hilary Swank who after Amelia and Freedom Writers, needed one. And hopefully a career maker for Tony Goldwyn.