REEL CRITICS -- Joan Andre and Elaine England

‘High Crimes’ guilty of audience treason

“High Crimes” has some of the best talent around. You could hardly

beat this lineup: Ashley Judd as Claire Kubik, the bright but vulnerable

and somewhat naive wife; Morgan Freeman as Charlie Grimes, the ex-Marine

Corps attorney who comes to her aid; and Jim Caviezel as Tom Kubik, the

accused spouse. This is a ton of talent, and with Morgan Freeman in the

mix it should be another box office success. The trouble is, it’s not a

box office success.

Maybe it’s because there is too much talent and it usurps the story

line. Maybe it’s because there is too much story and director Carl

Franklin was unable to compress it into two hours. Then again, maybe all

the connecting parts are on the cutting room floor. By any standard,

“High Crimes” is not a tightly paced, evenly constructed movie.

Claire Kubik and her spouse live in Marin, where her husband is

arrested by the military. The charges are murder and desertion. Claire

leaves her job as a corporate attorney and follows her husband to San

Lazaro, a Marine base where he is being held for trial.

After meeting his attorney, a young man never before assigned to a

trial, Claire decides she needs an experienced attorney who knows

military protocol. Enter Charlie Grimes, a dipsomaniacal ex-Marine who

has been sober for a year and knows how the military legal system works.

Now you have the team of Claire, Charlie and the Marine defense

attorney making up the nucleus of the defense team. They must work within

the legal system of the military to save a man whose defense is that the

military is framing him.

It is a huge story, and the director seems to have taken chunks or

highlights and patched them together, separating the essential parts

instead of joining them. There are red herrings, which have no effect on

the story and just barely provide momentary fright but absolutely no

suspense.

The pleasure of watching Freeman and Judd ply their trade is certainly

entertaining but, as they plod through the script, there is very little

excitement and no tension. Plus, it is predictable. I think it boils down

to looking like a hurried production -- pick up your paycheck and head

home.

My primary demand from a movie is that it entertain me. I find myself

less likely to critique than to review, although sometimes you just have

to wonder why the director did what he did. I will probably rent this

video and like it lots more than I do now, but in the meantime I give it

a pass and hope they don’t make another “lady in distress” film. I think

Judd has this role down pat by now and needs only to go through the

motions.

“High Crimes” is rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content and

language.

* JOAN ANDRE is a Newport Beach resident who does a lot of volunteer

work.

‘The Sweetest Thing’ would be to avoid this

“The Sweetest Thing.” Repeat. “The Sweetest Thing.”

This exercise is designed to help you remember this film and to recall

that it is to be avoided at all costs.

A full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times characterizes “The Sweetest

Thing” as “uproarious,” “a comic gem” and “entertaining.” Seriously, it

is none of these.

How sad and wasteful to employ attractive, bright young people

(Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate) and give them no vehicle with which

to create a movie. There is no sense of collaboration or direction and

absolutely no reason for making this film.

After an hour and a half, we absented ourselves from the theater.

“The Sweetest Thing” is rated R for strong sexual content and

language.

* ELAINE ENGLAND lives in Newport Beach and owns a gift-basket

business she operates out of her home.