Friday, June 13, 2008

Green River

Author(s): Ryne
Location: Portland

“Green River"




Directed by Patty Jenkins
Written by David Koepp and Patty Jenkins

Principal Cast:

Alan Rickman as Gary Ridgway
Anthony Hopkins as Detective Robert Keppel
Liam Neeson as Sheriff David Reichert
Greg Kinnear as Mark Prothero
Mark Walhberg as Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng

Tagline: "In The Grayest of Regions, Come The Darkest of Murders"

Synopsis: December 2003- King County Superior Court. Gary Ridgway a.k.a The Green River Killer (Rickman) sits impassively next to his attorney, Mark Prothero (Kinnear). Both are awaiting Ridgway’s sentencing for pleading guilty to 48 charges of murder in the first degree.

Early 1980s- Tacoma, Washington. Detective Robert Keppel (Hopkins) and Sheriff David Reichert (Neeson) have been sent to the Green River to follow up on a tip they have received about a girl who disappeared from her home in Seattle two weeks earlier. They begin to search the area, but nothing seems to catch their eye. The men are about call the tip in as falsified information until Robert Keppel comes across a gruesome scene. He finds several tangled bodies submerged under the shallows of the Green River, tied down by several pounds of brick. The bodies appear to be badly bruised and look as if they have been dead for about two weeks. Both Keppel and Reichert conclude that the bodies had been probably raped and then strangled to death. They contact the forensic team and they take the bodies to the lab for more testing. Both the lab report and autopsy confirm Keppel and Reichert’s suspicion along with verification that one of the girls was the one that the two men had been looking for. Keppel and Reichart decide to gather the task force themselves and head the search for the newly nicknamed “Green River Killer”. The next months are intertwined between the story of Ridgway and the two detectives. The search goes onto revolve nothing and the murders seem to be headed to the cold case files until one day when David Reichert acquires a suspect profile from convicted serial killer Ted Bundy. Reichert runs the suspect profile with the Washington State Department of Licensing database, which turns up three names: Marcus Higgins, Gary Ridgway, and Buddy Thomas. After the three men have effectively passed a polygraph test, Keppel and Reichert conclude that none of the men were responsible for the murders and the case of the “Green River Killer” losses the public interest and therefore also the police bureaus.

November 2001- Portland, Oregon. Nearly twenty years after first being identified as a potential suspect in the Green River murders, Gary Ridgway is arrested for suspicion of four murders that DNA analysis as linked him to. In light of this new information, Robert Keppel and David Reichert both come of retirement to finish once and for all, what they started almost twenty years ago. They resume questioning Ridgway, but Ridgway seems to have the answer for all their questions. He agrees to take another polygraph test to once again prove his innocence. Except this time, he is not so fortunate. Ridgway fails the polygraph test and is immediately charged with four counts of murder in the first degree. In initial hearing stages, Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng (Walhberg) is able to coax Ridgway into confessing murdering forty-four other women in and around the Seattle-Tacoma area.

December 2003- King County Superior Court. Gary Ridgway and his attorney Mark Prothero sit by themselves on one side of the courtroom while Robert Keppel, David Reichert, and Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng sit on the opposite side along with countless numbers of civilians who have come to witness the most notorious serial killer in history sentenced to death. It has been a long road for Keppel and Reichert who eagerly await the jury’s verdict. The jury returns single file back into the King County courthouse. They have decided on a final verdict. Ridgway and Prothero rise to hear what the future holds for Ridgway. The jury finds the defendant guilty on all forty-eight counts of murder and sentence Gary Ridgway to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

What the press would say:

“Green River” is the most disturbing, yet flawless motion picture ever to come to the silver screen. Patty Jenkins directs the amazing ensemble where every single one of her actors give the performance on a lifetime. Alan Rickman is perfectly casted as Gary Ridgway a.k.a The Green River Killer. His performance is absolutely astounding and he portrays Ridgway’s callous nature with precision and meticulousness. Rickman should earn an Oscar nomination just for the baitiness of his role, but his acting ability should garish a well deserved win. In the supporting roles, Anthony Hopkins and Liam Neeson once again give remarkable performances as the detective duo. Their chemistry is impeccable and no other two people could act together with such perfection. Green River’s best moments come when these two gentlemen are on the screen together. Overall, “Green River” is not only the best ensemble of the year, but also the best picture in several years.

FYC:

Best Picture
Best Director: Patty Jenkins
Best Actor: Alan Rickman
Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Hopkins
Best Supporting Actor: Liam Neeson
Best Original Screenplay

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