“True Crime,” directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, while a good idea, failed to deliver.
Eastwood portrays Steve Everett, a reporter for the Oakland Tribune. James Woods plays Alan Mann, the Tribune Editor in Chief and Isaiah Washington plays Frank Beachum, a convicted murderer set to be executed, whom Steve believes is innocent.
The film is not well-paced and the characters are difficult to empathize with. Eastwood’s aging, womanizing reporter, while having his moments, is more a man to despise than empathize.
Because of his less than stellar background, the others on staff at the Tribune do not believe him when he presents a theory regarding Beachum’s innocence. Steve spends the entire film trying to save Beachum at the eleventh hour and, simultaneously, keep his wife off his back by spending time with his daughter.
The end of the film is predictable and less than fulfilling. The moral dilemma presented to Steve — either save Beachum and make his career or spend time repairing his family situation — seemed less difficult than it should have been. The plot itself was more than just a little reminiscent of “The Paper,” which only added to the dissatisfied feeling left at the end of the film.