Favorite Movies Countdown — No. 1

1. A Time To Kill (1996)

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Kiefer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland, Ashley Judd, and Oliver Platt

About: "What in us seeks truth? Is it our minds or is it our hearts? I set out to prove a black man could get a fair trial in the South; that we are all equal in the eyes of the law. That's not the truth because the eyes of the law are human eyes — yours and mine. And until we can see each other as equals, justice is never going to be even-handed. It will remain nothing more than a reflection of our own prejudices. So until that day we have a duty under God to seek the truth — not with our minds, where fear and hate turn commonality into prejudice, but with our hearts, where we don't know better." — Jake Tyler Brigance, "A Time to Kill."

I have loved "A Time to Kill" since I first saw it when I was in high school. I have watched it at least once a year since that time, and I never cease to be moved by the performances, story, and ideas contained within it. It has always been among my most favorite films, it has steadily moved up the list to occupy the position where it now sits. Though someday that might change, I find it hard to imagine there will be a movie that means more to me as a viewer, Christian, and thinker than "A Time to Kill."

But, ironically, it was a film that almost didn't get made. John Grisham was a young lawyer when he attended the trial of a man who raped a young girl. He couldn't help but wonder what he would have done had that little girl been his own child, which led him to begin work on a fictional story involving that scenario — "A Time to Kill." The novel was published and became a hit with readers, spawning a wonderful new career for Grisham. But, because of its subject matter, no one wanted to option it as a film.

Later, Grisham's new novel, "The Firm," was turned into a motion picture starring Tom Cruise. This started a trend of adapting his books into films. After "The Pelican Brief," starring Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts, was also a hit, they came back around to "A Time to Kill."

There are a lot of reasons that I am drawn to this film. First, I love the characters and performances. I think I am unusually harsh on Matthew McConaughey when I review most of his movies now because I think of "A Time to Kill" and "Amistad" and know he is capable of a moving, emotional performance. He doesn't seem to want to do that any more, but he's certainly capable of it.

This film also features great work from Bullock — stepping away from the romantic comedy genre — Platt, both Sutherlands, Spacey, Charles Dutton, Brenda Fricker, Chris Cooper, and, of course, Jackson. Really, this film had nothing short of a dream team cast. But it's not just that they got good actors, the film boasts some interesting, well-developed characters. There are so many layers that you get sucked into the story.

This isn't a film that boasts the most amazing technical craft. The shots are fine, as are the production values, but it is the writing that is memorable. There are a lot of lines in the script, adapted by Akiva Goldsman, that really stand out and convey deeper emotional meaning to the film.

But that is only part of why I am drawn to "A Time to Kill." This film really demonstrates what personally draws me to films — good craft, good performances, and something that is thought provoking and moving to me. There are three overarching ideas that come through this film that always appeal to me.

First, it is the rare major Hollywood production that upholds the idea of fidelity in marriage as something important. McConaughey's character is presented with opportunity and, by modern society's standards, reason to step outside the bounds of his marriage. Yet he identifies this as undesirable and inappropriate, which is rare in Hollywood films. I have always appreciated this as the counter to what often happens in these types of films, and in fact his character's marriage is greatly strengthened for having endured the ordeals depicted in the film.

Second, this film deals with race in a poignant and honest way. It is set in the deep south in modern times (or modern for when it was released). I think we like to think — especially living on the West Coast in California — that race relations are amazingly better now. Certainly equality has taken large leaps forward since the 1960s, especially in the South, but that doesn't mean deep racism doesn't exist.

One of the things I like about how the film handles this is showing the way both sides handle issues that contribute to the divide. There are no innocents in this film, both groups contribute to the legacy of misunderstanding and racial abuse, and it forces Jake to think about these issues in a different context, leading to the powerful closing of the film (including the quote I used at the start of this post).

Finally, the biggest theme in "A Time to Kill" is the question of justice. This is perhaps the most fascinating debate in the film, and the issue that consistently gnaws at me when I watch this film. I will start by saying I love this film, it is my personal favorite, and I absolutely disagree with the end result of the central trial.

I believe this film represents an American notion of justice, and perhaps even what some people would see as an Old Testament notion of justice. But I don't believe it would conform to Jesus' notion of justice, or to the way he told us to approach this world, including our enemies.

Carl Lee Haley (Jackson) is a loving father who sees unspeakable acts committed in hatred by some evil men. His response is probably a human one. There is a part of me, certainly, that empathizes with his desire to punish, brutally, those that would perpetrate these unspeakable acts. But that isn't justice. Too often in our country we seem to glorify the ends justify the means approach, but that stands in stark contrast with what Jesus would have us do, and how He would have us respond. I am not saying this is the easy or natural response, but it would be what we would consider the more just Biblical response.

A passage I frequently come back to is the parable of the wheat and the tares. The central thought in that analogy is that we are not to judge, or substitute our own judgement for that of God, in this life. God will judge each one according to his own deeds at the appointed time. When we act as judge, jury, and executioner, we substitute our own judgement for God. I believe it is human to lean this way, but that doesn't make it just.

Which is what makes the story and resolution in "A Time to Kill" so fascinating and a continual challenge to me. Jake essentially argues jury nullification — that Carl Lee acted as we all would in the same circumstances, and that his actions were just. The jury agrees. It is tempting to feel the same way because of the people, the act they committed, and the situation. But when we begin to engage in situational ethics and morality, where do we draw the line. In my opinion, upholding the ideals of this film as just not only goes against our Biblical mandate but opens a Pandora's Box in terms of how we distribute justice in this country and this world.

As I said, this film certainly represents what I am personally looking for in a movie — something that not only entertains but forces me to engage with my personal beliefs and the message sent by our culture and society.

Top 25 in review:

1. A Time to Kill (1996)

2. Simon Birch (1998)

3. The Godfather (1972)

4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

5. The Paper (1994)

6. The Dark Knight (2008)

7. Gettysburg (1993)

8. Die Hard (1988)

9. Jurassic Park (1993)

10. Jaws (1975)

11. Heat (1995)

12. No Country For Old Men (2007)

13. Way of the Gun (2000)

14. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

15. Independence Day(1996)

16. L.A. Confidential (1997)

17. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

18. The Usual Suspects (1995)

19. Signs (2002)

20. Children of Men (2006)

21. Up In The Air (2009)

22. Miller's Crossing (1990)

23. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

24. Big Fish (2003)

25. Twister (1996)