Conspirator (2010)

"...a pleasure to watch.  Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
"...an unusually literate and thoughtful historical film...  Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Editor's Note Robert Redford focuses on the chaotic moment in history directly following President Lincoln's assassination to tell the story of the proud mother charged with committing the monumental crime, and the ambitious young lawyer who reluctantly becomes her defense attorney. The Civil War has ended, and upon returning home, Union War hero Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) endeavors to enter the world of politics by establishing himself as a lawyer. Though a high-society ball provides Aiken with the unique opportunity to gain an audience with standing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline), history intervenes when John Wilkes Booth fires the fateful bullet that ends the president's life. The nation is soon engulfed in turmoil as a massive manhunt for Booth's collaborators commences, leading lawmen to Confederate sympathizer Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), whose son John has become a prime suspect, yet remains dubiously out of reach. Meanwhile, as the American public cries out for justice, former attorney general Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) persuades Aiken to act as Mrs. Surratt's defense lawyer, and the mounting pressure both in and out of the courtroom begins to weigh on the conflicted barrister's conscience as the pressure turns up on John to give himself up, and save his mother from paying for his crime in the gallows. Kevin Kline, Alexis Bledel, Evan Rachel Wood, and Justin Long co-star.

	Kevin Kline
	Tom Wilkinson
	Evan Rachel Wood
	Alexis Bledel
	James McAvoy
	Robin Wright
	James Badge Dale - Co-Star
	Toby Kebbell - Co-Star
	Jonathan Groff - Co-Star
	Justin Long - Co-Star
	Danny Huston - Co-Star
	Johnny Simmons - Co-Star
	Colm Meaney - Co-Star
	Stephen Root - Co-Star
	Mark Isham - Composer
	Newton Thomas Sigel - Director of Photography
	Jonathan S. Gaynor - Sound
	Gregory Bernstein - Story
	James D. Solomon - Screenwriter
	James D. Solomon - Story
	Robert Redford - Director

Los Angeles Times
"[T]he resolution and strength of Wright's unimpeachable performance makes the whole story seem flesh-and-blood real..." 04/15/2011

Chicago Sun-Times
3 stars out of 4 -- "[A]n unusually literate and thoughtful historical film....The film depends on Wright and McAvoy for its human appeal." 04/14/2011

Movieline
"[T]he movie is handsomely shot, in muted tones that resemble history-book illustrations from the 1930's..." 04/14/2011

Box Office
3.5 stars out of 5 -- "A thriller that's riveting from start to finish....Redford has crafted a revealing look at a key chapter in our nation's history that you only thought you knew." 04/15/2011

Rolling Stone
3 stars out of 4 -- "The film pivots on McAvoy's powerfully implosive perofrmance....His scenes with Wright, under Redford's nuanced guidance, give this film its timely resonance and its grieving heart." 04/28/2011

New York Observer 10 of 10
From the muddy streets and filthy Washington jail cells to the rooming-house wallpaper and stage settings of the play Lincoln watched the night of the assassination, the handsome period production details are just right. The Conspirator revels in meticulously channeling the kind of historic and geographical authenticity that is rare for an independent production on a shoestring budget. From Mr. Kline's implacable and villainous secretary of war and Danny Huston's treacherous, guileful prosecutor to Evan Rachel Wood's turn as Anna Surratt, the tragic victim's noble daughter, whose tearful attempts to tell the truth in court falls on deaf ears, the performances are uniformly sincere. Mr. McAvoy is especially significant as the conflicted attorney who, despite his Yankee sympathies, fights for a fair trial but fails to prevent a kangaroo court from making a mockery of the law. But it is Ms. Wright who staunchly holds the center ring. An enigma to this day, Mrs. Surratt remains unshaken in her faith and convictions, refusing to testify in her own defense, sealing her own fate as a scapegoat. Masterfully austere, without a smidge of rouge, Ms. Wright manages to be both stoic and vulnerable. As a director, Mr. Redford knows how to handle his actors, build suspense and construct a slice of U.S. history about loyalty and honor in the face of terror and pessimism...No matter where your political leanings lie, the great thing about The Conspirator is that Mr. Redford is wise enough to let the audience decide what the parallels are. See it, enjoy a ripping good yarn and learn something. - Rex Reed