The Conspirator (8/10)

An indie movie that should've been a big hit. Robert Redford directed this historic drama and his name alone should get it national attention. Despite Redford being one of the masterminds behind the Sundance Film Festival his movies are normally Oscar bait that play in the majority of theaters. The cast here is superb and has many big names. The plot is also one that doesn't seem like what an indie movie would be involved with. With a little more attention I believe that this would have been one of the sleeper hits of the year. It's a great movie.

President Lincoln was shot by one man but the idea was not his alone. In that same night the vice president and the secretary of state were also targeted for assassination. There were many minds involved in this planning and one of them might have been Mary Surratt (Robin Wright). She was the owner of a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth (Toby Kebbell) and his friends met and planned. Mary was charged with helping the Booth but is she innocent? When the president was killed by southerners the courts aren't looking to play fair. They want to punish any and everybody who might have the smallest connection. They don't even give Mary a fair trail. Well a young Union Captain/ lawyer (James Mcavoy) is there to defend her, but does he actually want to help her.

This is a great period piece. Also when there are so many films about courtrooms this one somehow comes out fresh. I'm sick of movies where lawyers defend their clients, but the historic importance works quite well here. It gave the movie a sense of importance. This is one to watch.

8/10
Recommendation: A very good drama, I'd watch it if your looking to learn something while being entertained.