Rating: R
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 02/21/2003(USA)
Release Date: 07/22/2003
SubTitles: French/Espanol
Dubbed: English/French/Espanol
Sound: DD5.1
Run Time: 131 Minutes
Flags: Violence, Nudity, Not For Children, Adult Language, Substance Abuse (Alcohol, Drugs), Sexual Situations
Distributor/Studio: Universal Studios
The mystery of one man's guilt or innocence literally becomes a matter of life and death in this
drama.
David Gale (
Kevin Spacey) was the head of the philosophy department at Austin University and the author of several well-regarded books; he was also an active and visible member of Deathwatch, an anti-capital punishment activist group. One of
Gale's best friends was
Constance Harraway (
Laura Linney), a fellow Deathwatch activist with whom he became especially close, particularly since
Gale's wife,
Sharon (
Elizabeth Gast), who had taken a lover in Spain, was usually absent. One night,
Gale was seduced by an attractive student from his class,
Berlin (
Rhona Mitra), who had too much to drink; later, the remorseful student accused
Gale of rape. While
Gale was eventually cleared of the charges, the negative publicity cost him his career as an educator, and with no job and no wife,
Gale turned to drink. When
Harraway was found raped and murdered a few years later,
Gale was charged with the crime, and convicted despite the best efforts of his well-meaning but ineffectual lawyer
Braxton Belyeu (
Leon Rippy). Now
Gale awaits execution, and less than a week before his date with the fatal injection,
Gale agrees to tell his story to
Bitsey Bloom (
Kate Winslet), a nervy journalist from a major newsmagazine, who arrives with her assistant,
Zack Stemmons (
Gabriel Mann). As
Bloom discusses the facts of the
Harraway murder with
Gale, it occurs to her that the details simply don't add up, and soon a mysterious stranger slips evidence to her that suggests
Gale has been framed -- leaving
Bloom and
Stemmons only a few days to solve the mystery and save
Gale from the executioner.
The Life of David Gale was co-produced by actor
Nicolas Cage, who originally commissioned the script and intended to star in the film before prior commitments led him to hand the project over to director
Alan Parker.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
