The Life of David Gale

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The Life of David Gale ★ 2003 (R)

David Gale (Spacey) is an antideath penalty activist awaiting his execution after being convicted for the rape and murder of his collegue Constance (Linney, in the film's only worthy performance). Told in flashback to hardboiled reporter Bitsey (Winslet), his story plays out from his fall from respected philosophy professor to boorish drunk after an ill-advised dalliance with a student turns into a rape accusation. Pick your poison with this one. If you want social commentary, the heavy-handed diatribes and speechifying will assault you while you wait for the murder mystery-thriller elements to insult your intelligence with their telegraphed clues and convoluted, implausible plots and red herrings. Even more of a spectacular failure at blending the two genres than “Mississippi Burning.” 130m/C VHS, DVD . US Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney, Gabriel Mann, Matt Craven, Rhona Mitra, Leon Rippy, Jim Beaver; D: Alan Parker; W: Charles Randolph; C: Michael Seresin; M: Alex Parker, Jake Parker.