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The Life of David Gale | 2003 | R | - 6.7.6
In a strange twist of fate, an outspoken death penalty abolitionist (Kevin Spacey) is sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a fellow activist and co-worker (Laura Linney). With only three days before his scheduled execution, he agrees to give a young and ambitious reporter (Kate Winslet) an exclusive interview, and she becomes convinced that he's innocent and his life is in her hands. Also with Gabriel Mann and Matt Craven. [2:10]
SEX/NUDITY 6 - A young woman seduces an older man: she kisses him (we see her tongue in his mouth), he rips her panties off, we see their bare buttocks, and we see him thrusting from behind. A man and a woman have sex (we see them kissing and thrusting in bed and we see his bare back and buttocks and her bare legs and the side of her bare breast). We see a fully nude woman in several scenes (she's dead in a few of them). A case is discussed including descriptive details of a rape. References are also made to child pornography. A young woman (a college student) propositions and an older man (a professor). A man asks a woman into his hotel room, but she does not go. A man and a woman hug, and a man kisses a woman on the forehead. Women wear outfits that reveal cleavage and bare abdomens in many scenes. Men make sexual gestures and noises toward a woman, and a man makes a gesture by thrusting his hips. People are shown dancing at a party. A man comes out of a restroom fastening his pants. A man wears swim trunks.
VIOLENCE/GORE 7 - We watch a video of a woman struggling before she dies: she has a plastic bag on her head and her hands are tied behind her back (we see this several times). Another woman re-enacts this scene and we see her struggling and hear her crying for help (she is freed before she dies). We see photographs of a woman lying dead on the floor with her hands tied behind her back and a plastic bag over her head. We see photographs of dead people, some with bloody wounds. We hear a description of the procedures for lethal injection. Two men drive cars recklessly and one nearly runs into a moving train. A woman runs along a road and a truck swerves before hitting her. A woman scratches a man's buttock (we see blood), and he bites her shoulder during sex. A rape and murder case is discussed in several scenes. Protestors start shoving each other and yelling angrily. A woman stabs herself in the stomach during a play. A man runs out of an office and beats up a telephone in anger. A woman is found unconscious and is taken into a hospital on a stretcher. A woman is frightened when she finds her hotel room door ajar, and a woman is visibly shaken after a man in a truck watches her (she's in a dark and isolated rest area). A man touches the hot engine of a car and flinches. Two men debate an issue passionately (they yell at each other).
LANGUAGE 6 - 17 F-words, 1 obscene hand gesture, 5 sexual references, 15 scatological terms, 8 anatomical terms, 5 mild obscenities, 6 religious profanities, 8 religious exclamations.
SUBSTANCE USE - People are shown drinking to excess and smoking cigarettes and there are discussions of a character having a drinking problem.
DISCUSSION TOPICS - Capital punishment, rape, murder, pornography, the justice system, serial killers, contempt of court, lust, fantasy, principles, eye for an eye, an assassination method referred to as "secure tot method," infidelity, Socrates' death sentence, St. Jude, child custody, leukemia, martyrdom.
MESSAGE - Happiness is in seeking a fantasy. Hate is not fun if you keep it to yourself..
CAVEATS
Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.
We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.
Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.
Memoir of a Snail - 6.6.4
The Apprentice - 8.5.9
Here - 4.4.5
Hitpig - 1.3.2
Venom: The Last Dance - 2.6.5
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We are a totally independent website with no connections to political, religious or other groups & we neither solicit nor choose advertisers. You can help us keep our independence with a donation.
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Become a member of our premium site for just $2/month & access advance reviews, without any ads, not a single one, ever. And you will be helping support our website & our efforts.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
We welcome suggestions & criticisms -- and we will accept compliments too. While we read all emails & try to reply we do not always manage to do so; be assured that we will not share your e-mail address.