The Chamber Movie Review 1996

Dull retelling of yet another John Grisham legal thriller fails to engross. White supremacist Sam Cahall (Hackman) is on Mississippi's death row for killing two Jewish boys in a 1967 bombing. Young Chicago lawyer Adam Hall (O'Donnell), looking to find out more about his family's odious past, volunteers to work on his grandfather's case and win a stay of execution. Sam's an unrepentent racist but there's some question about whether he was the only culprit. Hackman and Dunaway (as his alcoholic daughter) are their usual professional selves while the charming O'Donnell seems out of his depth. Co-screenwriter Robinson used the pen name Chris Reese.

Distribution

Universal Studios Home Video, 100 Universal City Plz., Universal City, CA 91608-9955, Phone: (818)777-1000, Fax: (818)866-1483, URL: http://www.universalstudios.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 113 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Grandparents, Family Ties, Death Row, Law & Lawyers, Justice Prevails...?, American South, Books to Film: John Grisham, On the Rocks, Men in Prison, Order in the Court, Rescue Missions

Screenplay

Phil Alden Robinson, William Goldman

Cast

Gene Hackman, Chris O'Donnell, Faye Dunaway, Lela Rochon, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry, Bo Jackson, David Marshall Grant, Millie Perkins

Cinematography

Ian Baker

Director

James Foley

Music

Carter Burwell

Producer

John Davis, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, David T. Friendly, Ric Kidney, Karen Kehela, Imagine Entertainment, Mark Huffam