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I'll Take Oscar Grubbing Over Cash Grabs Any Day

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (31)

conviction_rockwell.jpg

In the abstract, the premise for Conviction is enough to make me ill at the obvious awards-season grubbery: A true story about a single mother so determined to overturn her brother’s wrongful murder conviction that, while raising a child, she attends law school so she can directly fight to nullify her brother’s conviction. Blech. The fact that the single mother was being played by Hilary Swank didn’t help matters — granted, she’s a great actress, but she only takes great roles once every five years. But, it has been six years since Million Dollar Baby, so Swank is due, and Conviction also sports what looks to be a damn-near guaranteed Oscar nom for Sam Rockwell.

Indeed, while I couldn’t stomach the thought of Conviction on paper, the trailer has won me over. There’s no doubt a little inspirational clap-daddy in here, but Sam Rockwell should get an Oscar nom for the trailer alone.










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Comments

I think the real crime is the beard.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at June 18, 2010 9:37 AM

I am usually allergic at this kind of movie/story. BUT... IT'S SAM ROCKWELL. He's so damn cute. Now I have to go and watch him dance ... again.

Posted by: Catherine at June 18, 2010 9:47 AM

too bad he looks too much like jesse james, how can we ever believe he's innocent?

Posted by: rio at June 18, 2010 9:49 AM

After 18 long hears in prison, Kenny was released a free man. He when on to own a successful motorcycle customization shop and marry a Hollywood starlet. Recent reports indicate he committed adultury with a Nazi hooker. His whereabouts are unknown.

Posted by: Dangerous Dave at June 18, 2010 9:52 AM

Amelia was five years after Million Dollar Baby and it bombed. She's going to go after this kind of project until she's back in the critics' good graces. The fact that no one remembers her biopic Oscar-whoring is very telling of the quality of the film. It's hard to hate something that barely existed.

Posted by: Robert at June 18, 2010 10:06 AM

Dang, I thought that was a photo of Pacino at first.

Posted by: lubeg at June 18, 2010 10:22 AM

Hell no.

Posted by: Jay at June 18, 2010 10:34 AM

@lubeg: I thought that too, then I realized that if it WAS Pacino, the words 'Oscar Grubbing' and 'Cash Grabs' would have been reversed.

Posted by: Aislinn at June 18, 2010 10:58 AM

I do love me some Sam Rockwell but I can't see me enjoying this film, all through the trailer anytime Swank, or Driver, or the kids talked with that thick accent it just pulled me out and distracted me, not to mention the "THIS IS DRAMATIC" music playing through the trailer.

Strangely enough I just found Rockwell's accent to be delightful. Anyways I can't find myself sitting still for this movie, I would flinch every time I heard her talk. Like nails scratching on a chalkboard, but with attitude

Posted by: Mr. Patches at June 18, 2010 11:20 AM

No, really, that is a TERRIBLE still. That is a still that cannot be taken seriously. That is white The Jesus With Whom You Can't Fuck. Just....Just.....NO!

Posted by: Jay at June 18, 2010 11:43 AM

I do loves me some Sam Rockwell, but this looks like it should be on Lifetime or Hallmark instead of being on the big screen. It looks quite cheesily done to me.

Pass.

Posted by: Jelinas at June 18, 2010 11:46 AM

Oscar Grubbing, sure. But man I love me some Sam Rockwell. I will definitely see this.

Posted by: Eva at June 18, 2010 12:11 PM

You can tell it's Oscar bait by the Gawd-awful Bahst'n accents.

Posted by: Jesse A. at June 18, 2010 12:27 PM

Directed by the bad guy from "Ghost"??? Okay, I'll see it.

Posted by: neo at June 18, 2010 12:30 PM

She robbed Annette Bening of an Oscar. That's all I'm going to say.

Posted by: tallulahc at June 18, 2010 12:35 PM

looks generic but the supporting casting is great and why Jesse James is in the movie!

Posted by: caro at June 18, 2010 12:41 PM

I could see myself being dragged to this by someone who feels the need to be inspired. Other than that I don't see me watching this.
On a side note, it is interesting to see that Juliette Lewis has entered the ugging herself up to save her career stage.

Posted by: matt at June 18, 2010 1:45 PM

Oh, I get it, she is trying to overturn her brother's conviction but she ALSO has the strength and force of will to stand by her beliefs! I think "Conviction" might be the single most overused word with two meanings in the book.

Posted by: MichaelD at June 18, 2010 2:29 PM

I'll see this for Sam Rockwell. Hopefully it'll finally get him an Oscar nomination for which he's long overdue.

Posted by: Snrub at June 18, 2010 2:58 PM

Man is it ever sad to see that Sam Rockwell has never been nominated for an Oscar.

Also I could never turn down a movie that has Peter Gallagher in it. Not even Summer Lovers.

Posted by: Marcela at June 18, 2010 5:12 PM

I hate the voiceover. Don LaFontaine needs to be resurrected. Somebody get on that.

Oh, and where the hell has Minnie Driver been?

Posted by: Lucas at June 18, 2010 5:27 PM

Ugh. I just threw up in my mouth a little.
Way too uplifting for me.

Posted by: AlwaysConfused at June 18, 2010 6:23 PM

Oh, and also, I have fundamental problems with Swanks teeth.

Posted by: AlwaysConfused at June 18, 2010 6:25 PM

This looked like it would very successfully play a devil's fiddle with your heart strings, but what was really creepy was the way this trailer seemed to have time-traveled from 1987.

Posted by: idleprimate at June 18, 2010 7:33 PM

We am lovin the Rockwell--me and the woman both be lovin the Rockwell. For me it was a cinch when, as Guy Fleegman, he made Galaxy Quest watchable with lines like:

Is there air? You don't know!!!

For her it was his performances in Moon and Everybody's Fine.

Posted by: Johnnyboy at June 18, 2010 8:19 PM

oh fuck, Juliette Lewis AND Hilary Swank?

Can Sam Rockwell balance out this shit? I might just watch it to find out.

Posted by: sailboat 'momentarily known as inertia creeps' at June 18, 2010 9:52 PM

Sam, why are you fighting the hot?

Posted by: MM at June 19, 2010 3:02 AM

they should pass the law that bans using the phrase "academy award(R) nominee" in trailers

Posted by: lionel bitchie at June 19, 2010 7:52 PM

Whereas once all Oscarbait trailers had Alan Silvestri's "End Credits" from Cast Away in them, now they have Steve Jablonsky's "My Name is Lincoln" from The Island.

Posted by: Jack at June 19, 2010 8:59 PM

Johnny, for me what sealed the deal was the way he sucked in a lungful when they still opened the door. Classic scene-stealing in a movie full of scene stealers.

Posted by: nigeltde at June 20, 2010 7:46 PM

I'll have to go look up his imdb credits, but I think I've only seen Rockwell in that godawful Charlies Angels movie. I don't get his sex-appeal. He seems greasy and skinnny in both roles. Also, I really dislike large facial moles, especially so close to the mouth. I know that is incredibly shallow, like Austin Powers and The Mole, but it distracts me. It's a personal preference, not a quality judgement, I'm sure he's got a great personality and based on all the Pajiba-love, he must be talented.

I hate when trailers play all that inspirational music, I'd rent this movie because I'm a Swank fan.

Posted by: Viking at June 21, 2010 8:36 AM