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Chris O'Donnell, Gene Hackman, Faye Dunaway

A top cast consisting of veteran aces Gene Hackman and Faye Dunaway can't rescue this way-too-long, dreadfully earnest version of John Grisham's equally gimpy novel. There are several problems in thi...( read more  read more... )s story of an intertwined Southern family who must disentangle themselves from the past and the dark shadow of a 1967 bombing. That terrorist attack led to the deaths of two Jewish children and was pinned on the black-sheep patriarch of the family, a racist, card-carrying Klansman named Sam Cayhall (Hackman), who is now serving time on death row for the hate crime. Years later, the savior grandson cometh. Young-buck lawyer Adam Hall--played with righteous determination and limited range by Chris O'Donnell--pulls out all the stops to save his client from the Mississippi gas chamber. As is usual in Grisham country, the poor lawyer becomes embroiled in a plan more diabolical, corrupt, and layered than he could guess and the truth spirals out of control, endangering lives, and opening old wounds. The Chamber attempts to twist and turn through its plodding story, but there is no gray area in which to force the viewer to weigh his or her conscience against the skewed facts. Everything that occurs in The Chamber is black or white, good or bad, and there is no crisis of conflict to make us question the morality and stance of the two sides in play. The bad guys are awful, the politicians are bought off, the cops are either corrupt or apathetic, and only one puny guy is left to bring down a house of cards that's been standing solidly for decades. O'Donnell is quickly put to shame by Hackman, who even manages to suffer through a sadistically long, melodramatic stroll down death row with his dignity intact. --Paula Nechak

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45% liked it

6,252 ratings

R, 113 min.

Directed by: James Foley

Release Date: October 11, 1996

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DVD Release Date: May 26, 1998

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Flixster Reviews (218)

  • stopitgoaway
    December 21, 2008
    stopitgoaway
    Nothing annoys me more than sitting through a film I consider to be very good, or perhaps even excellent, and then reading reviews about it afterwards that are wholly negative and often very untrue in their descriptions. "The Chamber," released in 1996, and based on John Grisham'...( read more)s novel from two years earlier, is one such movie. Having read both the book and having seen the film, I draw two conclusions. The first is that I believe the movie to be as good (Perhaps even better) than Grisham's novel. The second is that the movie is a great piece of film-making; one of the most mature, thoughtful and intelligent to have come out of Hollywood in the past few years, especially when one takes into account that it's dealing with some very complex themes and issues. Gene Hackman plays Sam Cayhall, the racist bigot from America's ole' South, whose been on death row for several decades, following his involvement in the unintentional murder of a Jewish family. Cayhall has a month to live, and, just as even he has given up on any hope of a successful appeal, the old man gets a visit from his grandson lawyer, Adam Hall (Competently played by Chris O'Donnell). Adam is determined to get his grandfather off the row (Much to Sam's annoyance), and sets about digging up his family's past in the hope of discovering the truth surrounding the crime that Sam committed. The truly great thing about "The Chamber" (And perhaps something which John Grisham, its author, deserves the credit for) is that right from the opening scenes, we are never unsure about Sam's guilt. He's as guilty as sin. This is unlike Tim Robbin's "Dead Man Walking," (A film which many critics claim is superior and are forever comparing "The Chamber" to), where the audience is almost wrongfully 'Conned' into believing its protagonist's innocence, presumably in the hope of us sympthasing with him all the more. But, with "The Chamber," although Sam Cayhall is a spiteful, hateful and guilty sinner, we sympathise with him because we sympathise with O'Donnells all-too-true belief that he still doesn't deserve to die. After all, how can someone whose been brought up and raised in such a dreadfully racist and hateful environment turn out to be any better than Sam? The film is an important character study, as much as what it is a study of such afore-mentioned important themes(s). It never shies away from dealing with issues such as racism, making the 'Showdown' scene towards the end between Cayhall and one of his sickening 'Admirers' to be all the more brilliant. The film has faults, sure. For instance, Faye Dunaway as Adam's alcoholic Aunt struggles manically, and gives a much too dramatic and theatrical performance for this film. Gene Hackman also has some trouble in a very difficult role, although he's much more effective in the later scenes, where he begins to realise his mistakes. Perhaps the film's biggest mistake is in its failure to develop a proper character out of 'Rollie Wedge' (Robert Prosky), the man who may or may not have been involved in the terrible murder that Sam is now on death row for. I rarely cry in movie, but I cry every time I watch "The Chamber;" not just during the suitably hard-to-watch and claustrophobic closing scenes, but also during the final sequences between Sam and his grandaughter. It's a truly touching piece of film-making, and a very thought provoking and intelligent one. If only a better director had been at the helm, and the odd performance had been touched up a bit, this picture would have been an instant classic.
  • CollectionFantastica
    July 4, 2008
    CollectionFantastica
    This lacked something... Gene Hackman "brought it" as usual. Love him! Decent enough.
  • allan913
    October 8, 2007
    allan913
    A hard-hitting and heart-racing edge of your seat thriller. Pulse-pounding and gut-wrenching. Gene Hackman gives one of his greatest performances ever
  • 76Majikat
    June 9, 2007
    76Majikat
    A great part played by Gene Hackman, with a good stoy, some boring parts, but worth a watch
  • Yelverton
    November 13, 2009
    Yelverton
    Not my favorite John Grisham adaptation.
  • LYNNWOODS04
    August 8, 2009
    LYNNWOODS04
    WOW.. This a great movie. Such awesome acting by Chris O'Donnell and Gene Hackman. The story is definetly one that holds on to you from start to finish. One of my favorite films of Gene Hackman.
  • Beth87sw
    June 7, 2009
    Beth87sw
    I loved this, thought it was a very original story line with fantastic acting and the dialouge blew me away.
  • cutesyme23
    January 14, 2009
    cutesyme23
    Love all the John Grisham adaptions, its like his books are destined to be films and always a hit. Great casting, the film is definately as good as the book.
  • UsernameMissing
    January 11, 2009
    UsernameMissing
    loved it!Gene Hackman is amazing!
  • doctordoom
    December 18, 2008
    doctordoom
    This is a decent thriller. The story is quite good and Gene Hackman gives a strong performance. Worth a one time watch.

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