In 1976, Dallas police officer Robert Wood is shot to death by the driver of a car that he had pulled over. A month later, the police receive a tip off from teenager David Harris and charge Randall Adams with the murder. Adams is subsequently convicted of the crime.
Film maker Errol Morris retells the events using his now-famous style of interviews, re-enactments, montages, and Philip Glass' minimalist music. The impact of the documentary comes from the participants telling their story and letting the viewer decide on the truth or falsity of the matter, so when Morris interjects editorially, for example, when he intercuts one witness' interview with a movie clip to demonstrate their self-delusion, it weakens the strength of his presentation.
The documentary starts strongly with the murder and investigation but drifts after the end of the trial, as Adams appeals his sentence through various courts but there is no one to guide us through the process or explain the significance of each court decision.
4 out of 5 stars.
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