The co-stars of KISS THE GIRLS are together again In HIGH CRIMES, a military murder mystery that goes on a little too long and unfortunately telegraphs its ending about three-fourths of the way through. However, under the sure direction of Carl Franklin, it is eminently watchable, even if I don't buy Ashley Judd as a forceful criminal lawyer. Judd's husband, an ex-Marine played in his usual stoic manner by Jam C. of "Jesus" fame, is accused by the military of a village massacre many years earlier in Salvador. Nine innocents died that day. But was he the killer, or was it another member of his platoon? Judd gains the right to co-defend her husband, and also enlists the aid of a has-been criminal lawyer played by Morgah Freeman. It turns out Freeman was once a Marine himself. The trial is reasonably intriguing, punctuated by outbursts of PG-13 violence against both Judd and Freeman, the perpetrators of which include a shadowy figure with a connection to that decimated village. Franklin keeps things moving along pretty well, although a shorter length might have helped. The big climax is not unexpected, one we have seen in a number of similar murder mysteries. Still, I watched this film today for the first time since its release, and found that it holds up remarkably well for a big-budget studio potboiler. See it and judge for yourself. It was probably Judd's last decent screen appearance to date. We also get to see a lot of Amanda Peet's body as Judd's sex-crazed sister. And that's always appreciated.
Review of High Crimes
