Trial by Fire is a dramatic (fictionalized) account of the Cameron Todd Willingham case -- notorious in Texas death penalty debates -- in which he is convicted and sentenced to death for deliberately setting the fire that killed his three young children. The film is obviously anti death penalty and the makers are entitled to that opinion, which many share. That aside, when Yankees "do" Texas they always get it wrong, usually beginning with the accents which they somehow assume are "southern," and this movie is no exception. That they didn't know Texas culture at all, though, became apparent early on, when Texas Rangers/law enforcement officers interrogate Todd Willingham. One of the officers' hat is on the table -- to indicate we're in Texas, don't you know? -- and it's brim down. No one who wears a Stetson places his hat like that, but always upside down, with the brim up, to protect its shape. From that moment on, it was obvious we were going to see Texas through unknowing eyes.
There are other problems. too. The portrayal of Willingham at trial is unrealistic. .His own attorney, convinced of his guilt, presented no real defense. But that's just part of it; even the worst attorney would have insisted he cut his hair, sit up straight in his chair at the defense table, and not blurt out protests to the judge or the witnesses. Then there's the Texas State prison guard's brutality (i.e. Shawshank Redemption) and the idea that Willingham's "personal" guard is actually involved in executions (i.e. The Green Mile).
It's all ridiculous. But Laura Dern, as a woman who becomes involved in Willingham's case, is excellent and some other performances are noteworthy, with the exception of the actor playing Willingham, who made his character so unlikeable that it was difficult to feel sympathy for him, even when we're supposed to. And the transformation, including a haircut, is neither explained nor credible; it's just a heavy handed amateurish way to indicate to us, the audience, that Willingham is deserving of the help Dern's character tries to provide. That Willingham was almost certainly innocent and that the prosecutor was guilty of malfeasance appears to be a given, and if true, this is the story of tragedy piled on top of tragedy. Trial by Fire purports to address that, but its agenda -- protesting the death penalty -- and failure to get basic Texas culture right, weakens the effort.
Watch it if you're curious, or for Dern's performance.
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