The Chamber (1996)

Sadly forgotten and talented Chris O'Donnell (Scent of a Woman) plays the obligatory curiously tenacious party in "The Chamber", penned by none other than John Grisham, whose convolution is ripe as ever in this trip down 'Intolerance Lane', a visit I found to be more charismatic and inviting than usual. Maybe it's the direction, the quick cuts from the camera, or maybe it just flows!

As a fan of the charming blue-eyed O'Donnell, I liked him more than say Tom Cruise in The Firm. It's a shame his career left the serious route, since he clearly does better with deeper roles. Gene Hackman convincingly melts into his own. Don't expect another riddle-speaking Hannibal Lecter here; Hackman is merely a irritable and unsatisfied Klansman.

His interaction with O'Donnell flows well and despite the Klansman's crude nature, Hackman's portrayal struck me as humorous, throughout his heated arguments with O'Donnell which refreshingly comes back onto screen before too long to keep the plot growing.

Given that its a Grisham story, something deeper always lies beneath and the can of worms is slowly revealed. Characters are realistic, exhibiting raw emotional reasoning rather than callousness for their actions, whose beliefs have simply become tough meat that is hard to chew and accept as reasonable.

Delightful scenery inside and away from the courthouse keeps the pace up to par while something wicked manifests itself waiting to rattle O'Donnell's poor unassuming lawyer, including a scene straight out of The Shawshank Redemption, set in the prison yard, in which Hackman's Klansman veers a wary eye to the watchtower.

It's a Grisham story; we know what is hiding up there. But… it's still worth looking at. There is a softness to this one, a nice change from the formulaic style.