THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE — * 1/2 — Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney, Gabriel Mann. Matt Craven, Leon Rippy, Rhona Mitra; rated R (profanity, vulgarity, sex, nudity, violence, brief gore); see "Playing at local movie theaters" for complete listing of local theaters.
It takes some sort of talent to make a film as completely strident, overbearing, heavy-handed and downright off-putting as "The Life of David Gale," although it's not exactly clear what type of talent it requires.
Even if there are some clearly talented people involved with a dramatic thriller, it doesn't mean you have to like it. In this case, "David Gale" is little more than propaganda masquerading as a dramatic feature — which might be fine if this were a documentary, where such things are expected and only barely tolerated.
Also, "David Gale" is full of false starts and finishes, including a conclusion that's not only laughably convoluted but also dilutes the message that the filmmakers clumsily try to impart.
Kevin Spacey stars as the title character, a leading death-penalty opponent who finds himself on Texas' death row after being convicted of the rape and murder of another activist (Laura Linney). With only days remaining until his execution, Gale agrees to talk with Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet), a magazine journalist with a reputation for her pursuit of the truth, as well as for protecting the identities and rights of her interview subjects.
What Gale tells Bitsey, however, almost makes her regret taking the assignment, especially when she discovers that the former college professor was once accused of raping one of his students. But when she discovers videotape evidence that suggests he may be innocent on all counts, it becomes a race against time to stop the execution.
First-time screenwriter Charles Randolph and veteran director Alan Parker ("Angela's Ashes") don't make an ideal filmmaking team. Parker's directorial touches here lack subtlety of any kind. And, frankly, this is not one of Spacey's more convincing performances. Even Winslet, who's masking her British accent, seems exasperated at times by her showier co-star.
Better than either of them are Linney, stuck in a thankless supporting role, and Gabriel Mann, whose performance as an intern journalist may be the only likable character in the entire film.
"The Life of David Gale" is rated R for frequent use of strong sex-related profanity, crude sexual slang terms and other sexual talk, scenes of simulated sex and sex acts, full female and brief partial male nudity, violence (civil demonstrations) and brief gore (close-ups of gory photos). Running time: 130 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com