Clemency
Neon | Release Date: December 27, 2019
6.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
20
Mixed:
8
Negative:
3
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
8
GreatMartinJan 24, 2020
There is no doubt that Alfre Woodard is the star of "Clemency" as the warden, Bernadine Williams, who oversees the execution of prisoners but Aldis Hodge as Anthony Woods is a prisoner convicted of killing a police officer and serving 15There is no doubt that Alfre Woodard is the star of "Clemency" as the warden, Bernadine Williams, who oversees the execution of prisoners but Aldis Hodge as Anthony Woods is a prisoner convicted of killing a police officer and serving 15 years is going to be executed that gives her some stiff competition, especially in their scenes together.

Capital punishment is looked at from all angles starting with an execution going wrong and reflected in the face of Woodard. We hear from the mother of the dead policeman, Vernee Watson, and the crowds outside protesting the execution. We meet Williams's husband, played by Wendell Pierce, and we are shown how his wife's job is affecting their marriage, not to forget Danielle Brooks as Evette, Woods's high school girlfriend at the time he was arrested, distancing herself from him for the 15 years. Another point of view comes from Richard Schiff as a lawyer who believes Woods is innocent and the religious point of view, as the prison's chaplain, is expressed by Michael O'Neill.

From the opening shot of Alfre Woodard supervising the execution that goes wrong to another shot focused on her face as she walks through the halls of the prison the actress, this is not an easy picture to watch. Chinoye Chukwu wrote the screenplay and directed the movie with a hard to see opening segment that draws you into the movie but at the same time using Woodward's face to show what this woman goes through every time someone is executed!

Alfre Woodard will hopefully be remembered at the end of the year when award season starts and we should be seeing more of Aldis Hodge as a leading man.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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0
bbonkApr 1, 2020
Slow, slow, politically biased movie with questionable scenarios. Couldn't even watch past 45 minutes. Why is a prison warden all of a sudden upset over the death penalty? Why in the world would they have some hack doctor be botching anSlow, slow, politically biased movie with questionable scenarios. Couldn't even watch past 45 minutes. Why is a prison warden all of a sudden upset over the death penalty? Why in the world would they have some hack doctor be botching an execution? Why should we be meant to feel that a self confessed cop killer is the victim. And why are all the people working at the prison a bunch of drunks in a local bar. Give me a break. This is one of the worst, contrived, movies I've seen in a while.… Expand
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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7
TVJerryFeb 4, 2020
The devastating opening execution sequence sets the tone for a absorbing and relentlessly dark drama. Alfre Woodard plays a prison warden who's about to oversee her 12th execution. This film examines how it affects her professional andThe devastating opening execution sequence sets the tone for a absorbing and relentlessly dark drama. Alfre Woodard plays a prison warden who's about to oversee her 12th execution. This film examines how it affects her professional and personal life. With Woodard in the lead, you can expect a moving performance and she delivers. Writer/director Chinonye Chukwu takes a pared down approach, which means the pace is deliberate and the observations are restrained. It's less about the injustice of a wrongful conviction than Just Mercy (my review) and more about the significant toll that state execution takes on those affected.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
Brent_MarchantJan 26, 2020
Capital punishment issues are frequently the stuff of robust social discourse, but how often is it scrutinized at the personal level? That's what this intense new drama seeks to do, both for the executioner and those awaiting that ultimateCapital punishment issues are frequently the stuff of robust social discourse, but how often is it scrutinized at the personal level? That's what this intense new drama seeks to do, both for the executioner and those awaiting that ultimate fate. How does it feel to be the individual on death row? And how does it feel to be the one who orders that the final act be sanctioned? The moral dilemmas faced by all involved may not be as easy or clear cut to decipher as one might think, especially when execution procedures go awry or when the possibility of an innocent individual being improperly put to death rises to the surface. Alfre Woodard gives a superb performance as a seemingly no-nonsense prison warden who grows increasingly troubled about what she does while trying to remain ever the professional. The picture's chilling cinematography and excellent supporting cast lend much to the production, though the film could have used more development of the protagonist's motivations and back story, as well as a slightly brisker pace overall. These shortcomings aside, however, this one is likely to haunt viewers after leaving the theater, giving us all much to think about when it comes to matters of justice, life and death.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
alejandro970Feb 18, 2023
There have already been films that put the debatable issue of the death penalty on the table; what breathes fresh air into this film are the performances by Woodard and Hodge, which are absorbing enough.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
estonismJan 12, 2020
A must see, slow-moving powerhouse. Excellent performances all around. Slight B-movie feel with at least a golden globe impact. Alfre Woodard is great. Aldis is another good performance. Hats off. Only found this in one theater in NY (KipsA must see, slow-moving powerhouse. Excellent performances all around. Slight B-movie feel with at least a golden globe impact. Alfre Woodard is great. Aldis is another good performance. Hats off. Only found this in one theater in NY (Kips Bay) and traveled to it with an entourage and could not be happier about the decision.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
JEsFsFApr 7, 2020
I saw this a couple of days ago and I can't remember a light moment in it, though I think there was one. Slow, sad, you get a sense of creep towards something bad inexorably. Not even much drama, but it has soul, if only to watch it wither.I saw this a couple of days ago and I can't remember a light moment in it, though I think there was one. Slow, sad, you get a sense of creep towards something bad inexorably. Not even much drama, but it has soul, if only to watch it wither. Well done, worth watching, but as I said to my family immediately afterwards, "you're left with nothing but the realization that the death penalty sucks. You can't escape that, even if you're for it."… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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