By Kim Choe
It’s been a while since there was a decent, gripping courtroom drama to get stuck into. The Conspirator delivers one with all the essential elements – heroes, villains, heroes who might be villains, and villains who might be heroes.
Abraham Lincoln’s 1865 assassination provides the backdrop for the intriguing but little-known story of the court case against Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the only woman among the eight people charged with conspiring to kill the President. It seems that her only crime may have been running the boarding house in which Lincoln’s murderer John Wilkes Booth gathered for meetings with fellow confederate conspirators, including Surratt’s son.
It falls to young lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) to defend her. A recently returned Civil War hero, Aiken struggles to set aside his political allegiances in order to fulfil his obligations as a lawyer. His own client must convince him that even though she is accused of undermining the united America he fought for, she still has the right to a lawyer and a fair trial.
Nothing about the case is easy – Aiken must contend with a panel of judges handpicked by the government, a client whose rigid stoicism threatens to get in the way of the truth, and the unwillingness of Surratt’s children to come to her aid.
The Conspirator is the first feature from The American Film Company, which was founded in 2008 on the belief that “real life is often more compelling than fiction”. This film proves that, and has so far been praised for its accuracy. But it also benefits hugely from good storytelling. Flashbacks are used to great effect, driving the action by breaking up the courtroom monotony.
Robin Wright gives a fantastically intense performance as the fervently religious Mary Surratt, absorbing the charged emotions and the enormity of her situation, yet allowing only the briefest glimpses of her grief and fear. In contrast to her poised, measured performance is James McAvoy’s portrayal of Aiken. He initially suffers from some awkwardly written, cheesy dialogue, although in some ways it sits well with his character’s newness to the law. McAvoy eventually falls into his role with a deft balance of passion, compassion, and bloody-mindedness.
Evan Rachel Wood also puts in a powerful performance as Surratt’s daughter Anna. Kevin Kline and Tom Wilkinson are solid in their stately support roles as Secretary of War and Attorney General respectively. Justin Long and Alexis Bledel round out the most recognisable of the cast, but unfortunately their fresh-looking faces are glaringly out of place in this gritty period piece.
It is unimpressively shot, but still The Conspirator is captivating viewing. Director Robert Redford has exerted a masterful, restrained control over the most important elements of the film. It has avoided becoming a fusty historical drama, skilfully building tension and incorporating themes of corruption and political expediency that seem all the more relevant and suggestive in light of recent high-profile criminal trials.
Four stars.
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The Conspirator
:: Director: Robert Redford
:: Starring: James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson
:: Running Time: 116 mins
:: Rating: M - violence
:: Release Date: June 16, 2011
:: Official site: Click here
