“The Chamber” was not the best death penalty drama of the past year. It was also not the best Grisham adaptation of 1996. For that matter, it really didn’t do anything very well.
It seemed that “The Chamber” just mindlessly flitted from subject to subject and genre to genre in an effort to create something worth seeing where there really wasn’t anything.
Before I get too far, though, it must be noted that Gene Hackman’s performance in this film as Say Cayhall, an elderly klansmen sentenced to die, is probably worth an Oscar nomination. However, it is the only stellar and memorable part of the film.
“The Chamber” proves that some books are meant to be adapted for the big screen, and others aren’t. This movie fit into the latter category.
The John Grisham novel of the same name was a kind of a departure from a very strict formula for the author. “The Chamber” relied much more on family chemistry than courtroom battles. and unlike his other adaptations, required good acting all around to be successful.
And good acting the film did not get. Chris O’Donnell, as Adam Hall, an aspiring lawyer and Sam Cayhall’s grandson, proved to me that he might only be ready for roles like last year’s Robin in “Batman Forever.” His role demanded the emotional maturity of someone more like Hackman, and didn’t get it.
The supporting cast was terribly one-dimensional. Faye Dunaway, as Sam’s daughter and Adam’s aunt, had barely a cheerful moment in the film, and was not developed well enough to have any real effect on the story.
Lela Rochon, as a friend to Hall’s with connections, was equally useless. Sometimes it seemed like her role was the same as Sandra Bullock’s in “A Time to Kill” as a near-love interest, but at other times, there was little indication as to what exactly she was. This character was another example of how meaningless a part can be in a film if it isn’t given the time it’s due.
If you’re a Gene Hackman fan, this is by all means a movie for you. Hackman’s performance, as I said before, is exceptional and not to be missed. But for the Grisham fan, a repeat viewing of “A Time to Kill” is probably more worthwhile, and if you care about the death penalty, watching “Dead Man Walking” for the sixth time is of more value.
Grade: D