This Week's PCR Movie Review

	"88 Minutes" Movie review by: Michael A. Smith Movies are rated 0 to 4 stars

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Starring: Al Pacino, Alicia Witt and William Forsythe
Directed by: Jon Avnet
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hour 48 mins

September 1, 1997. Most of the world is talking about the death of Princess Diana. In rainy Seattle, twin sisters Janie and Joanie Cates are getting ready for bed. Before the morning comes, one of the them will have been brutally murdered, the other tortured. A man is arrested and, with the help of testimony from Forensic Psychiatrist Jack Graham (Pacino), is sentenced to die, a sentence that takes nine years before it can be carried out. The killer (Neil McDonough) has always maintained his innocence, claiming that Graham lied and persuaded the jury to convict him. In fact, in of the many plot twists, it appears that the Seattle Slayer (the nickname given the cause of these brutal murders) is still killing nine years later, on the day the alleged killer is due to die.

A neat thriller with only a few plot holes, “88 Minutes” is a fine showcase for the talent that IS Al Pacino. Celebrating his 36th year of making movies, Pacino has a role that allows him to chew up huge hunks of dialogue as he fights to convince the powers that be that the right man is sentenced to die. He is joined by a zealous group of students, each one finding more and more problems with the upcoming execution, problems that point to Graham. The cast does a fine job with the story they are given, a story that often contradicts itself in the spirit of classic detective work. People and things conveniently “turn up,” be it in secured security areas or teacher’s class rooms. Why? That’s a question for Graham to investigate, presumably in the sequel. Plot holes aside, the back story is pretty inventive, as is the film’s title. And special mention must be given to the city of Seattle, whose rain-covered streets help to set the somber mood needed.

An enjoyable thriller for those who don’t worry about plots, on a scale of zero to four stars I give “88 Minutes”