428:
the dropping of charges, and the eventual resolution of the case, although the film makes no mention of the financial portion of the settlement. Some of the lawyers objected to the way they were portrayed. In the film, the public defender urges the character named Dee
Roberts to accept a plea bargain. The actual public defender claims he never tells innocent clients to take a plea. Also, the actual lawyer who represented the District Attorney said the film was "more accurate than not," but objected to how his behavior was portrayed in the film during the deposition of the chief plaintiff. In the film, the character questions the plaintiff about her sexual history. The actual lawyer claims the questions were routine questions about her children and their fathers, and did not delve any further into the subject. Also, the film shows the DA presiding over a hearing about custody of the defendant's children. Actually, the DA was present and spoke at the hearing, but did not determine custody. The revelation during the film's climax, which led to the resolution of the case, was presented accurately, including the race of the deposing lawyer and the identity of the video witnesses, but the DA did not use the word "uppity" to describe the African-American lawyer who was deposing him. And the actual legal team for the plaintiffs was much larger, consisting of about 25 lawyers, from a private law firm, working
419:, where John Paschall was defeated for reelection in 2012. In 2016, Paschall surrendered his law license and pleaded guilty to a felony charge of misusing money that belonged to an estate for which he served as executor. He was required to spend 30 nights in jail, placed on 10 years' probation and issued a $ 1,000 fine. Regina Kelly continued to live in Hearne until 2009.
273:), leads a group into the restaurant, sweeping Dee's housing project. The police drag Dee from work in handcuffs and dump her in the women's county prison. Indicted based on the uncorroborated word of a single and dubious police informant facing his own drug charges, Dee soon discovers she has been charged as a drug dealer.
427:
The film stays fairly close to the details of the actual case, although it changes all the characters' names and takes some liberties with the case's transcripts and other dialogue. The progress of the case in the film proceeds as the real case did, including the reduction of bail for the defendant,
276:
Even though Dee has no prior drug record and no drugs were found on her in the raid or any subsequent searches, she is offered a hellish choice: plead guilty and go home as a convicted felon or remain in prison and fight the charges, thus jeopardizing her custody and risking a long prison sentence
29:
460:
is "the first must-see film for
African-Americans in 2009." Dr. Joy Browne of WOR Radio reviewed the film, calling it "A gem of a movie. Timely, thought-provoking, passionate, exciting. Everything you look for in a movie experience and more." Rex Reed of
399:, filed on behalf of 15 African-American residents of Hearne, Texas who were indicted in November 2000 on drug charges after being rounded up in a series of drug sweeps the ACLU referred to as "
619:
733:
842:
809:
600:
581:
243:
449:
based on 59 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Though its politics are as obvious as its outcome,
882:
872:
804:
560:
832:
837:
415:
and the plaintiffs agreed to dismiss the individuals named in the suit, including
Paschall. The fictional Harmon County represents
867:
281:), and with her freedom and the custody of her children at stake, she chooses to fight the district attorney. Dee works with an
502:
691:
741:
877:
756:
862:
857:
847:
852:
531:
648:
416:
412:
332:
133:
799:
463:
148:
144:
453:
is an earnest docudrama about the justice system with a powerful performance from Nicole
Behairie."
827:
812:
467:
said that the film is "a rich, vibrant narrative film guaranteed to move everyone who sees it."
403:". The lawsuit accused Paschall and the South Central Texas Narcotics Task Force of conducting
320:
270:
74:
28:
471:
gave the film three stars and commented that "Nicole
Beharie delivers a stunning performance."
783:
362:
338:
266:
118:
86:
308:
286:
255:
78:
794:
446:
620:"Former Robertson County DA Paschall to surrender law license, serve 30 nights in jail"
503:"Telluride Film Festival - Conversations: Regina Kelly, Nicole Beharie, and Tim Disney"
374:
368:
356:
302:
251:
227:
66:
582:"Dallas Morning News - "'American Violet' tells story of ill-fated Hearne drug raids""
821:
344:
278:
259:
90:
510:
788:
701:
666:
488:
400:
380:
100:
715:
468:
314:
290:
70:
223:
265:
One day, while Dee is working a shift at the local diner, the powerful local
430:
350:
777:
757:"American Violet Movie Review & Film Summary (2009) - Roger Ebert"
561:"ACLU Charges Racial Discrimination in Second Texas Drug Bust Scandal"
539:
404:
326:
82:
601:"Siegert Ousts Longtime Robertson County District Attorney Paschall"
231:
408:
282:
696:
258:
single mother of four living in the town of Melody (based on
649:"Review: Indie Film Tackles Texas Race Suit - Daily Report"
407:
drug sweeps for more than 15 years in Hearne. In 2005, the
277:
for 18 to 24 years. Despite the urging of her mother (
250:
tells the story of a young mother named Dee
Roberts (
207:
199:
189:
154:
140:
124:
114:
106:
96:
62:
54:
46:
38:
21:
230:. The story is based on Regina Kelly, a victim of
576:
574:
395:The film is based on the civil rights lawsuit
8:
643:
641:
639:
637:
635:
633:
27:
18:
532:"Samuel Goldwyn Films - American Violet"
289:) and a former local narcotics officer (
480:
293:) to take on the Texas justice system.
7:
226:directed by Tim Disney and starring
14:
843:Films scored by Teddy Castellucci
234:police drug enforcement tactics.
800:Frontline's documentary The Plea
618:Walker, Jake (21 January 2016).
445:holds a 75% approval rating on
386:Scott A Martin as Jerry Arnold
171: (Telluride Film Festival)
1:
397:Regina Kelly v. John Paschall
883:English-language crime films
873:2000s English-language films
899:
833:American legal drama films
244:2000 presidential election
507:telluridefilmfestival.org
491:– via www.imdb.com.
163:August 29, 2008
33:Theatrical release poster
26:
838:American courtroom films
667:"American Violet (2008)"
489:"American Violet (2008)"
242:Set in the midst of the
174:April 17, 2009
868:2000s legal drama films
761:rogerebert.suntimes.com
417:Robertson County, Texas
134:Cinema Management Group
536:samuelgoldwynfilms.com
464:The New York Observer
411:and Robertson County
878:2000s American films
720:www.drjoyreviews.com
704:on October 11, 2007.
456:Clay Kane said that
182: (United States)
149:Uncommon Productions
145:Samuel Goldwyn Films
813:Dallas Morning News
806:ACLU Press Release]
341:as Reverend Sanders
222:is a 2008 American
863:Films set in Texas
716:"Drjoyreviews.com"
438:Critical reception
405:racially motivated
365:as Claudia Johnson
269:, Calvin Beckett (
16:2008 American film
858:Films set in 2000
848:Films about drugs
363:Karimah Westbrook
339:Charles S. Dutton
329:as Darrell Hughes
323:as Calvin Beckett
267:district attorney
254:), a 24-year-old
215:
214:
119:Teddy Castellucci
87:Charles S. Dutton
890:
853:2000s hood films
765:
764:
752:
746:
745:
740:. Archived from
730:
724:
723:
712:
706:
705:
700:. Archived from
688:
682:
681:
679:
677:
663:
657:
656:
645:
628:
627:
615:
609:
608:
596:
590:
589:
578:
569:
568:
557:
551:
550:
548:
547:
538:. Archived from
528:
522:
521:
519:
518:
509:. Archived from
499:
493:
492:
485:
391:Historical basis
371:as Judge Belmont
309:Tim Blake Nelson
287:Tim Blake Nelson
256:African-American
181:
179:
170:
168:
110:Nancy Richardson
79:Tim Blake Nelson
31:
19:
898:
897:
893:
892:
891:
889:
888:
887:
818:
817:
795:Rotten Tomatoes
790:American Violet
779:American Violet
774:
769:
768:
754:
753:
749:
732:
731:
727:
714:
713:
709:
690:
689:
685:
675:
673:
671:Rotten Tomatoes
665:
664:
660:
647:
646:
631:
617:
616:
612:
599:Oder, Michael.
598:
597:
593:
580:
579:
572:
559:
558:
554:
545:
543:
530:
529:
525:
516:
514:
501:
500:
496:
487:
486:
482:
477:
458:American Violet
451:American Violet
447:Rotten Tomatoes
443:American Violet
440:
425:
393:
377:as Eddie Porter
359:as Leona Conroy
347:as Alma Roberts
333:Malcolm Barrett
321:Michael O'Keefe
299:
271:Michael O'Keefe
248:American Violet
240:
219:American Violet
192:
185:
177:
175:
166:
164:
157:
147:
136:
129:
127:
89:
85:
81:
77:
75:Michael O'Keefe
73:
69:
34:
22:American Violet
17:
12:
11:
5:
896:
894:
886:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
820:
819:
816:
815:
807:
802:
797:
786:
773:
772:External links
770:
767:
766:
755:Ebert, Roger.
747:
744:on 2009-04-17.
725:
707:
683:
658:
629:
610:
591:
586:dallasnews.com
570:
552:
523:
494:
479:
478:
476:
473:
439:
436:
424:
421:
392:
389:
388:
387:
384:
378:
375:Anthony Mackie
372:
369:Paul Guilfoyle
366:
360:
357:Lucinda Jenney
354:
353:as Mark Shelby
348:
342:
336:
330:
324:
318:
312:
311:as David Cohen
306:
305:as Dee Roberts
303:Nicole Beharie
298:
295:
252:Nicole Beharie
239:
236:
228:Nicole Beharie
213:
212:
209:
205:
204:
201:
197:
196:
193:
190:
187:
186:
184:
183:
172:
160:
158:
155:
152:
151:
142:
141:Distributed by
138:
137:
132:
130:
125:
122:
121:
116:
112:
111:
108:
104:
103:
98:
97:Cinematography
94:
93:
67:Nicole Beharie
64:
60:
59:
56:
52:
51:
48:
44:
43:
40:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
895:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
825:
823:
814:
810:
808:
805:
803:
801:
798:
796:
792:
791:
787:
785:
781:
780:
776:
775:
771:
762:
758:
751:
748:
743:
739:
735:
729:
726:
721:
717:
711:
708:
703:
699:
698:
693:
692:"Celebrities"
687:
684:
672:
668:
662:
659:
654:
650:
644:
642:
640:
638:
636:
634:
630:
625:
621:
614:
611:
606:
602:
595:
592:
587:
583:
577:
575:
571:
566:
562:
556:
553:
542:on 2009-10-08
541:
537:
533:
527:
524:
513:on 2009-01-05
512:
508:
504:
498:
495:
490:
484:
481:
474:
472:
470:
466:
465:
459:
454:
452:
448:
444:
437:
435:
433:
432:
422:
420:
418:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
390:
385:
382:
379:
376:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
345:Alfre Woodard
343:
340:
337:
335:as Byron Hill
334:
331:
328:
325:
322:
319:
317:as Sam Conroy
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:
301:
300:
296:
294:
292:
288:
284:
280:
279:Alfre Woodard
274:
272:
268:
263:
261:
260:Hearne, Texas
257:
253:
249:
245:
237:
235:
233:
229:
225:
221:
220:
210:
206:
203:United States
202:
198:
194:
188:
173:
162:
161:
159:
156:Release dates
153:
150:
146:
143:
139:
135:
131:
123:
120:
117:
113:
109:
105:
102:
99:
95:
92:
91:Alfre Woodard
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
789:
778:
760:
750:
742:the original
737:
728:
719:
710:
702:the original
695:
686:
674:. Retrieved
670:
661:
652:
624:theeagle.com
623:
613:
604:
594:
585:
564:
555:
544:. Retrieved
540:the original
535:
526:
515:. Retrieved
511:the original
506:
497:
483:
462:
457:
455:
450:
442:
441:
429:
426:
401:paramilitary
396:
394:
381:Jerry Leggio
275:
264:
247:
241:
218:
217:
216:
191:Running time
101:Steve Yedlin
469:Roger Ebert
315:Will Patton
291:Will Patton
195:103 minutes
71:Will Patton
55:Produced by
39:Directed by
828:2008 films
822:Categories
546:2009-02-25
517:2009-02-25
475:References
285:attorney (
224:drama film
178:2009-04-17
167:2008-08-29
126:Production
58:Bill Haney
50:Bill Haney
47:Written by
42:Tim Disney
383:as Norman
107:Edited by
738:Observer
734:"Movies"
605:kbtx.com
565:aclu.org
431:pro bono
423:Accuracy
351:Tim Ware
208:Language
115:Music by
63:Starring
653:law.com
413:settled
211:English
200:Country
176: (
165: (
128:company
676:24 May
327:Xzibit
83:Xzibit
232:Texas
784:IMDb
678:2021
409:ACLU
297:Cast
283:ACLU
238:Plot
811:on
793:at
782:at
697:BET
262:).
824::
759:.
736:.
718:.
694:.
669:.
651:.
632:^
622:.
603:.
584:.
573:^
563:.
534:.
505:.
434:.
246:,
763:.
722:.
680:.
655:.
626:.
607:.
588:.
567:.
549:.
520:.
180:)
169:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
