247:, the once peaceful relationship between its white and black citizens is subjected to tension. Trying to maintain peace in the community as the trial of the three perpetrators commences are black mayor R.C. Horn and white sheriff Billy Rowles, neither of whom is prepared to handle all the negative publicity. Justice is served when two of the men are condemned to death and the third is sentenced to life in prison.
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called the film "an introspective but somewhat
Hollywoodized treatment" and continued, "The director's focus is very personal. Although he doesn't linger on details of the court case, the murder is presented in full-color detail. It is handled almost clinically, but not without sensitivity. To dance
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said, "There's nothing fatally wrong with the film, but the muddled, overstuffed script and sometimes cheesy direction short-circuit the emotional potential of the treatment of James Byrd Jr.'s brutal dragging death five years ago in a small Texas town . . . The better TV films offer commentary and
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found it worthy, especially praised and said, "Gossett is barely recognizable as the lean, wizened Mayor O.C. Horn. He and Voigt, as
Sheriff Billy Rowles, personify the common-sense intelligence that characterizes much of small-town America." He also added "one of its stars, Louis Gossett Jr., were
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chain James Byrd Jr., to the back of their pickup truck and drag him to his death over three miles of country road. When the town is forced to deal with an onslaught of media coverage that thrusts it into the collective conscience of the entire country and the arrival of contentious members of the
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doesn't quite do that. Despite great performances from Voight and
Gossett, the film trips over its own simplistic analysis of what 'getting along' between the races really means."
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around the facts would be too great a disservice. To exploit the sensational nature of the crime also would be wrong. Instead, Byrd puts his trust into his very capable cast."
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208:. The teleplay by Jonathan Estrin is based on a true story and focuses on the aftermath of a crime in which three white men from the small town of
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nominated for NAACP Image Awards, to be presented next month. Costar Jon Voigt is also worthy of a prize."
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NAACP Image Award for
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The film was shown at the
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whose pat resolution doesn't dredge up anything like the national horror of Byrd's murder."
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Storm, Jonathan (February 11, 2004). "Split verdict on cable's two crime movies".
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Showtime
Entertainment released the film on DVD on February 3, 2004. It is in
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perspective subtly, through careful characterization and plot development.
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Portions of the film, including the intown scene, were shot in
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Ron White as
Assistant District Attorney Guy James Gray
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In Jasper, Texas, in June 1998, three self-proclaimed
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488:thought the film was "a standard-issue
367:Conrad Bergschneider as 'Moe' Johnson
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690:Drama films based on actual events
349:Michael Ferguson as William Hoover
274:as Defense Attorney 'Sonny' Cribbs
16:2003 American TV series or program
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720:Films directed by Jeffrey W. Byrd
504:. The film was nominated for the
322:Roy T. Anderson as James Byrd Jr.
725:American drama television films
400:Andre Mayers as Sergeant Carter
352:Jeff Topping as Russell Brewer
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388:Marium Carvell as Gloria Mays
319:Blu Mankuma as James Byrd Sr.
295:Michelle Moffat as Mamie Horn
735:2000s English-language films
715:Films about the Ku Klux Klan
310:Cherion Drakes as Clair Byrd
283:Kate Trotter as Jamie Rowles
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397:Craig Eldridge as Dr. Brown
391:Dean McKenzie as Mr. Nelson
292:Karen Robinson as Mary Horn
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597:Philadelphia City Paper
569:San Francisco Chronicle
485:Philadelphia City Paper
461:San Francisco Chronicle
259:as Sheriff Billy Rowles
496:Awards and nominations
179:June 8, 2003
675:2003 television films
557:. pp. D1 and D4.
458:David Wiegand of the
730:2000s American films
373:as Michelle Chapman
199:made-for-television
197:is a 2003 American
109:Executive producers
81:Asche & Spencer
710:Films about racism
695:Films set in Texas
638:TCM Movie Database
604:2006-05-13 at the
534:Beaverton, Ontario
448:Jonathan Storm of
444:Critical reception
427:as Catholic Priest
385:as Brandi Eggleson
379:as Nancy Nicholson
265:as Mayor R.C. Horn
236:white supremacists
151:Production company
83:Richard Werbowenko
705:Films set in 1998
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328:as Bill King
241:Ku Klux Klan
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122:Lena Cordina
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516:DVD release
433:as Reverend
431:Kedar Brown
371:Holly Lewis
305:Emily Yancy
301:as Khalid X
272:Gary Hudson
146:114 minutes
130:Ousama Rawi
46:Directed by
680:2003 films
669:Categories
540:References
536:, Canada.
522:fullscreen
437:Neil Crone
407:Wayne Ward
383:Leah Renee
278:Joe Morton
257:Jon Voight
243:, and the
202:drama film
183:2003-06-08
104:Production
68:Joe Morton
60:Jon Voight
38:Written by
490:docudrama
409:as Deputy
212:, killed
649:AllMovie
602:Archived
421:as Kathy
415:as Norva
224:Showtime
170:Showtime
119:Producer
78:Music by
56:Starring
636:at the
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181: (
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99:English
599:review
585:review
571:review
528:Filmed
135:Editor
627:IMDb
251:Cast
230:Plot
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185:)
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