Redeemer - The Memorable TV DVD Review

Distributor: MRA Entertainment
Certificate: MA15+ | 1h 25minutes
Director: Graeme Clifford
Available to rent

Reviewer: Alan R
Extras: No

ANYONE IN IT WE KNOW?

Matthew Modine, Obba Babatunde

WHAT’S IT ABOUT THEN?

Matthew Modine plays Paul Freeman a best-selling novelist who is working as a literary teacher in a men's prison to try and get himself some ideas for a new book.
He sets his class of four an introductory assignment to write an essay on how they came to be caught by the police. He is intrigued by the story of Charles Henderson (Obba Babatundé) who is a lifer with no parole option.

20 years ago he had been a member of the Black Panthers and he and three other members raided a student house believing it to be a dope house. One of the other Panthers shot and killed a student by accident and they were all captured by police and charged with murder. The other three plea-bargained and got shorter sentences for their guilty plea - but Henderson pleaded innocence of actual murder but was found guilty and got a more severe sentence. Each year when he appeals for his sentence to be commuted the sister of the dead man puts in a strongly worded objection to his release and so he remains locked-up.
Paul Freeman makes it his task to try and convince the sister (Sharon Davidson) that Henderson is a genuinely remorseful man and should now be allowed his chance for freedom.

SO IS IT ANY GOOD?

It's a low-key TV movie drama with good performances all round and a fairly interesting story.

The story does unfold quite routinely with no unexpected twists or turns letting everything happen pretty much as you expect to build to a heart-warming conclusion.

Overall, it's a perfectly adequate watch if it turns up on TV. But nothing remarkable that would make it top of a DVD shopping list.

ANY SPECIAL FEATURES?

Not a one.