Author(s): Josh P.
Location: Chicago, IL
“The Futility of Law"
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Screenplay by Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco and William Monahan
Story by Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco
Produced by Clint Eastwood, Brad Grey and Robert Lorenz
Music by Kyle Eastwood
Cinematography by Tom Stern
Edited by Joel Cox
Principal Cast:
Jake Gyllenhaal (Det. Jim Shilling)
Sissy Spacek (Det. Marge Hanson)
Brian Cox (Bill Hidgens)
Bruce Dern (Sheriff Patrick)
Chris Cooper (Officer Riley)
Tim Robbins (Officer Miles)
Martin Landau (Ryan Tillows)
Phyllis Somerville (Maye Dockson)
Clint Eastwood (Kyle Michaels)
Tagline: "There is too much law to serve and protect"
Synopsis: For over fifty years, Kyle Michaels (Eastwood) has been one of the main attractions at the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a wanted man for robbery, murder, rape and bank fraud. He still continues his pillaging today, although it mostly consists of robberies and fraud. Jim Shilling (Gyllenhaal) is a new recruit with ambitious ideas. He has heard of this legend at the FBI and plans to be one of the few to track him down. After Michaels previously hit a Minnesota bank, killing a clerk, Shilling and his partner (Spacek) are sent to investigate. What they find is less than welcoming. The police force in this small town does not like the FBI for invading on their investigation. The leading Sheriff (Dern) is making things very difficult for Shilling and Hanson. He cooperates very little and is constantly giving them a hard time. He makes it perfectly clear to them that the federal government is not wanted.
In the mean time, the detectives still have to try and find Michaels. They ask around the town because it is in the same area, but not the exact place, where Michaels grew up. They interview some townspeople who might have remembered him, including his old partner (Landau) from the days when Michaels was part of a duo team, and Michael’s former girlfriend from the fifties (Somerville). In the end, just when they are about to go back to the FBI headquarters, Michaels makes an appearance to Shilling and Hanson. He reveals to them that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and only has about nine months to live. He also tells them all the crimes he committed and why he did so. His motive was to show the world that in many cases, the law provides the services that it appoints. However, sometimes there are so many people fighting for their piece of providing justice that it eventually gets to a point where it’s pointless and nothing can get done. That is why he has been able to escape for so long, because the futility point had been reached. With his point now received, he gets in his car and drives away, leaving the two detectives heading back to HQ and reporting that a wanted man is still on the loose.
What the press would say:
Once again, Clint Eastwood continues to show that he contains much more versatility behind the camera than in front of it. Director Eastwood crafts a magnificent and majestic story that plunges deep within the human heart. The cast is also well qualified to bring the story here. Jake Gyllenhaal continues to impress us with his acting, and Sissy Spacek provides a great turn as an FBI agent with a knowing history of how the game is played. Bruce Dern also offers an award worthy portrayal of a small town official who desperately wants to keep the law in his hands. He isn’t an eccentric anarchist; he merely just doesn’t appreciate the government taking over his district and making it seem like he and his well qualified men cannot handle the job. Clint Eastwood also provides a great performance. While Eastwood is known to put himself in starring roles in his films, here he takes a backseat as a supporting character whose screen time is a mere eighteen minutes. However, Eastwood makes good use of that short time by conveying all the passion, emotion and energy of this character whose commentary on the social status is very convincing. All of this is, of course, enhanced by the screenplay based on Oscar winning writers Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco’s story that was later revised by fellow Oscar winner William Monahan. Truly a great effort. The campaign consideration:
Best Picture
Best Director: Clint Eastwood
Best Supporting Actor: Bruce Dern
Best Supporting Actor: Clint Eastwood
Best Original Screenplay: Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco and William Monahan
Best Film Editing
Best Original Score
Location: Chicago, IL
“The Futility of Law"
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Screenplay by Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco and William Monahan
Story by Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco
Produced by Clint Eastwood, Brad Grey and Robert Lorenz
Music by Kyle Eastwood
Cinematography by Tom Stern
Edited by Joel Cox
Principal Cast:
Jake Gyllenhaal (Det. Jim Shilling)
Sissy Spacek (Det. Marge Hanson)
Brian Cox (Bill Hidgens)
Bruce Dern (Sheriff Patrick)
Chris Cooper (Officer Riley)
Tim Robbins (Officer Miles)
Martin Landau (Ryan Tillows)
Phyllis Somerville (Maye Dockson)
Clint Eastwood (Kyle Michaels)
Tagline: "There is too much law to serve and protect"
Synopsis: For over fifty years, Kyle Michaels (Eastwood) has been one of the main attractions at the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a wanted man for robbery, murder, rape and bank fraud. He still continues his pillaging today, although it mostly consists of robberies and fraud. Jim Shilling (Gyllenhaal) is a new recruit with ambitious ideas. He has heard of this legend at the FBI and plans to be one of the few to track him down. After Michaels previously hit a Minnesota bank, killing a clerk, Shilling and his partner (Spacek) are sent to investigate. What they find is less than welcoming. The police force in this small town does not like the FBI for invading on their investigation. The leading Sheriff (Dern) is making things very difficult for Shilling and Hanson. He cooperates very little and is constantly giving them a hard time. He makes it perfectly clear to them that the federal government is not wanted.
In the mean time, the detectives still have to try and find Michaels. They ask around the town because it is in the same area, but not the exact place, where Michaels grew up. They interview some townspeople who might have remembered him, including his old partner (Landau) from the days when Michaels was part of a duo team, and Michael’s former girlfriend from the fifties (Somerville). In the end, just when they are about to go back to the FBI headquarters, Michaels makes an appearance to Shilling and Hanson. He reveals to them that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and only has about nine months to live. He also tells them all the crimes he committed and why he did so. His motive was to show the world that in many cases, the law provides the services that it appoints. However, sometimes there are so many people fighting for their piece of providing justice that it eventually gets to a point where it’s pointless and nothing can get done. That is why he has been able to escape for so long, because the futility point had been reached. With his point now received, he gets in his car and drives away, leaving the two detectives heading back to HQ and reporting that a wanted man is still on the loose.
What the press would say:
Once again, Clint Eastwood continues to show that he contains much more versatility behind the camera than in front of it. Director Eastwood crafts a magnificent and majestic story that plunges deep within the human heart. The cast is also well qualified to bring the story here. Jake Gyllenhaal continues to impress us with his acting, and Sissy Spacek provides a great turn as an FBI agent with a knowing history of how the game is played. Bruce Dern also offers an award worthy portrayal of a small town official who desperately wants to keep the law in his hands. He isn’t an eccentric anarchist; he merely just doesn’t appreciate the government taking over his district and making it seem like he and his well qualified men cannot handle the job. Clint Eastwood also provides a great performance. While Eastwood is known to put himself in starring roles in his films, here he takes a backseat as a supporting character whose screen time is a mere eighteen minutes. However, Eastwood makes good use of that short time by conveying all the passion, emotion and energy of this character whose commentary on the social status is very convincing. All of this is, of course, enhanced by the screenplay based on Oscar winning writers Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco’s story that was later revised by fellow Oscar winner William Monahan. Truly a great effort. The campaign consideration:
Best Picture
Best Director: Clint Eastwood
Best Supporting Actor: Bruce Dern
Best Supporting Actor: Clint Eastwood
Best Original Screenplay: Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco and William Monahan
Best Film Editing
Best Original Score
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