Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

R-JENERATION: 'Gale' tackles exciting subject in boring manner

Death penalty abolitionist David Gale will be executed in four days for the rape and murder of a woman who was not only his friend, but also crusaded against capital punishment. A savvy magazine journalist is given three interviews to hear his story, and prove his innocence.

I know what you're thinking: Wow, exciting, right? No, "The Life of David Gale" is really boring. It's not worth paying more than six bucks to see, but then again, what is? It's decent to see if you're not in the mood to see an action movie or an exciting movie at that. But it is thought provoking, for about five minutes.

The deal is, David Gale (Kevin Spacey) is an esteemed philosophy professor whose life gets torn up by a former student with a grudge. Accused of raping her, he gets fired, loses his wife and kids, and goes down a trail of alcoholism and depression.

Just as he gets himself out of his rut, he gets convicted of the rape and murder of his friend and fellow abolitionist. What pins him is the evidence: his prints on the bag used to suffocate her, and evidence of the two having sex.

The magazine journalist (Kate Winslet) hears his story through three one-on-one interviews from death row just days before his execution.

The movie was dry -- I mean that in a bad way -- and void of entertainment. The worst part is that you can see the ending about a third of the way through the flick. Although, I must give the movie its due credit for creativity and originality.

Grade C+