True Crime (1999)

54% of critics liked it
(39 reviews)
51% of users liked it
(14,312 ratings)

Investigative reporter Steve Everett (Clint Eastwood) has just relocated to the west coast after getting fired from the New York Times. Thanks to his old friend, Alan Mann (James Woods), the editor-in-chief of The Oakland Tribune, Everett still has a job, but that's hardly the end of his problems.… More Investigative reporter Steve Everett (Clint Eastwood) has just relocated to the west coast after getting fired from the New York Times. Thanks to his old friend, Alan Mann (James Woods), the editor-in-chief of The Oakland Tribune, Everett still has a job, but that's hardly the end of his problems. An alcoholic and a womanizer, he's been sober for two months and his marriage to Barbara (Diane Venora) is in as bad a shape as his car. Everett has also earned the hatred of city editor Bob Findley (Denis Leary), and not without reason -- Everett has been sleeping with his wife. One day, when another reporter dies in an automobile accident, Findley asks Everett to take over her assignment -- the final interview of condemned murderer Frank Beachum (Isaiah Washington). Everett researches the case before the interview, and finds Beachum was convicted of a robbery and homicide in an Oakland convenience store. But the reporter finds several discrepancies in the story, and a visit to death row only confirms Everett's suspicions that Beachum was not the killer. The reporter begins a hurried search for information that will stay the execution. Plagued by his inner demons, the reporter has 12 hours left to save the life of a man he knows is innocent. ~ Ron Wells, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 7 min.
Directed By: Clint Eastwood
Written By: Larry Gross, Paul Brickman, Stephen Schiff
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Mar 19, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Aug 10, 1999
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Forget the mystery thriller plot... succeeds more as a study of character.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
The story drifts away, and the movie is structured in a conventional way that lets us know it won't end tragically.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Eastwood handles it professionally, intelligently, and beautifully.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Hard to swallow.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Conner R

A really powerful story about fighting to the very end and never giving up. Clint Eastwood of course does a great job as a womanizing hot shot reporter, but it's funny that he does it so well at 70. I really liked the draw in to the story, it wasn't sappy at all. They… More
A really powerful story about fighting to the very end and never giving up. Clint Eastwood of course does a great job as a womanizing hot shot reporter, but it's funny that he does it so well at 70. I really liked the draw in to the story, it wasn't sappy at all. They established a really great character with Isaiah Washington and made him seem like a true victim of circumstance. The redemption was really more for Clint Eastwood, who desperately needed to fix the mistakes he had made in the past.
Chris G

A distant relative of His Girl Friday, True Crime is about a reporter (Clint Eastwood) at the bottom of his career writing for a small news paper after botching a story. That's not his only problem, though. Steve (Eastwood) is a bit of an asshole. He lives for himself and his… More
A distant relative of His Girl Friday, True Crime is about a reporter (Clint Eastwood) at the bottom of his career writing for a small news paper after botching a story. That's not his only problem, though. Steve (Eastwood) is a bit of an asshole. He lives for himself and his work, stopping to think about the consequences only after the deed is done. A set of circumstances leads to Steve being assigned a human interest story abut an inmate (Isaiah Washington) sentenced to death at midnight. While doing research for the piece it comes to light that the condemned man may be put to death for a crime he did not commit. This is a well made film that runs at a nice pace. The beginning and the middle run smoothly as Steve goes through his day. It's intriguing at how a story materializes for the reporter. Even the prison interview scene, the obvious cheese in a film like this, is actually well written and acted. The problem with the film is that the ending, though giving the audience the obvious tension, seems a little bit of a cheat and plays out a bit to cliched. Not on the part of the actual execution, but in the way the case is broken open. It soils a film that runs at a great pace through its first and second acts. It's not a typical Eastwood masterpiece, but it is an above average film that Eastwood tends to make when taking a break from his truly great works. It's a nice little thriller if you don't expect too much in the end.
Jason O

Very enjoyable drama about an innocent family man who's on death row. Can Eastwood interject and save the man's life or is he already too late?
Lady D

An easy watching film, but certainly not one of Eastwood?s best - Acting wise or Directing. There are many other films that share the theme of this one and in fact come across much better. The plot is predictable and I feel Eastwood tried far too hard to come across as the… More
An easy watching film, but certainly not one of Eastwood?s best - Acting wise or Directing. There are many other films that share the theme of this one and in fact come across much better. The plot is predictable and I feel Eastwood tried far too hard to come across as the womanising anti-hero here. There was little emotion shown from the character on death row, which made the film lack any real punch. Wished it had a little more angst or power and a few twists and turns, it could have been a good film.
Drew S

True Crime is flawed but still largely enjoyable, with an ending that confirmed my deepest suspicions: that the movie would end up as Hollywood formula. It is really, really bad, surely the darkest hour of what is otherwise a well-composed movie. The plot isn't always great, but… More
True Crime is flawed but still largely enjoyable, with an ending that confirmed my deepest suspicions: that the movie would end up as Hollywood formula. It is really, really bad, surely the darkest hour of what is otherwise a well-composed movie. The plot isn't always great, but the people moving through it are the centerpieces. All of the key players are incredibly interesting, and their respective actors offer great performances. Eastwood himself is an odd pick, because he is far too old to be playing the woman-stealing lothario. Fuck my wife? Sure, if you can find the Viagra first! And I'm aware that there's a touch of narcissism in this, as I'm sure there is in Eastwood himself. Remember how he was constantly running around in his underwear in Play Misty for Me? Clint Eastwood thinks he's got it and is not afraid to flaunt it, even if he's like 200 years old. So perhaps casting himself as the protagonist was a flaw, but all it really gets from you is a derisive chuckle or two. The rest of the movie's pretty tight. Certainly a little formulaic, and a little implausible, but the human aspects of it really shine. For whatever reason, it kept reminding me of Zodiac, but it doesn't take a film critic to see that Zodiac was far more absorbing. It's not a knock on Eastwood, so much as the material he chose to work with.
Dean M

Brilliant and thrilling with Eastwood as a reporter who believes a San Quentin Death Row prisoner is innocent and scramble to save him before the clock is ticking.
Stephen E

Clint Eastwood had a string of self-directed run-of-the-mill thrillers around the turn of the century and this was one of them. There's nothing we haven't seen here before, folks.
Steven V

True Crime is a fairly engaging movie that has some good performances. Clint Eastwood as the director stages the action well and moves the plot forward. The supporting cast is well rounded and helps advance the narrative. What could've made… More
True Crime is a fairly engaging movie that has some good performances. Clint Eastwood as the director stages the action well and moves the plot forward. The supporting cast is well rounded and helps advance the narrative. What could've made this movie better is a brisker pace, but Clint Eastwood the director chose a more laid back style. After thirty years in the business, Clint Eastwood can do whatever he wants with his films. He's earned it.
Christopher O

A mediorce film with the best of intentions but one in which Eastwood should have stayed behind the camera because he is miscast as the lead. Finding the truth and preserving justice are always noble themes in a film and this is no exception but it could have been executed much… More
A mediorce film with the best of intentions but one in which Eastwood should have stayed behind the camera because he is miscast as the lead. Finding the truth and preserving justice are always noble themes in a film and this is no exception but it could have been executed much better. As always Eastwood excels with his use of music and the cinematography is very strong too.
Stephen E

Clint Eastwood had a string of self-directed run-of-the-mill thrillers around the turn of the century and this was one of them. There's nothing we haven't seen here before, folks.
Chosen 7

Good film, great performances all around. Good direction by Clint Eastwood.
Barry L

Brilliant as you would expect.
Anthony V

Lame ending.