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Showing posts with the label Tom Wilkinson

Denial | Average Guy Movie Review

Denial tells the story of Deborah Lipstadt, an American writer and historian who was sued for libel by David Irving - a self-proclaimed "Hitler historian" - when she declares him a Holocaust Denier in one of her books. The movie  is based on Lipstadt's book, History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier.  The movie begins in 1996 when Irving files the lawsuit and follows the story through to the hearing in early 2000. Directed by Mick Jackson (The Bodyguard, Volcano), Denial stars Rachel Weisz as Lipstadt, Timothy Spall as Irving, Tom Wilkinson as  Lipstadt's Barrister,  Richard Rampton  and Andrew Scott as her Solicitor, Anthony Julius. Stunning performances are delivered by all, especially considering the subject matter. But it's Spall who truly deserves the most credit, he does a masterful job in bringing this despicable character to life without making him feel cartoonish. The scene where Rampton cross examines Irving is definitely one to w

Selma: Average Guy Movie Review

Selma tells the story of Martin Luther King Jnr. and his involvement in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches. The movie stars David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jnr., Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Common as James Bevel (the organiser of the marches), Tim Roth as Alabama Governor George Wallace and Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King. Oyelowo's performance is excellent, you can really see how hard he worked to capture King's essence. Not only does Oyelowo sound like King, he brings his gravitas and the weight of his words to the screen. Unfortunately King's speeches had to be rewritten for the movie because the Martin Luther King Jnr. estate had licensed the movie rights to his Civil Rights speeches to Dreamworks and Warner Bros. for an as yet unproduced biopic. Director Ava DuVernay  wrote alternative speeches that are said to evoke the historic ones without breaching copyright. Selma has been praised for its accurate depi