The Life Of David Gale

The Life Of David Gale

OK, I own up. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to thrillers. I just get sucked into the plots, sub-plots & twists upon twists and seldom ever "guess" the ending of quality movies. Mind you, I kinda like it that way...but many of you don't, eager-beavering your way through whatever ruses or counter-ruses the writer or director has thrown up, becoming thrilled when you've worked out the ending long beforehand. 

That being said, Alan Parker's The Life Of David Gale is a film that all small "l"  liberals should check out, irrespective of whether they think they'll break the story's code early or not. I didn't, though you may. You see, The Life Of David Gale strikes at the heart of liberalism, throwing up the question of whether Truth plays any significant role in the greater good of Morality.

A first-time script by real-world professor of Philosophy, Charles Randolph, The Life Of David Gale centers around David Gale (Kevin Spacey), a charismatic, popular Philosophy professor at the University of Austin, Texas*, who's the very public spokesman for "Death Watch", an organization opposed to the Death penalty.

Gale assisted in this cause by the probably more capable but far less media-friendly Constance (Laura Linney) a fellow academic who, well, loves him, though she is content to leave their close relationship unrequited. In the meantime, Gale's marriage to wife Sharon (Elizabeth Gast) is falling apart and she's taking increasing absent abroad from Gale and his young son Jamie (Noah Truesdale), with whom Gale is tenderly close.

The trigger for the movie is Professor Gale's decision to fail sex-bomb Berlin (Rhona Mitra**) and from there, his world starts to spin slowly out of control. In revenge, Berlin seduces him at an end of year party begging for rough sex and then, much to Gale's surprise, screams Rape.

In quick succession:

• Gale's wife soon sues him for divorce, taking his young son to live with her and her lover in Spain
• he rapidly becomes a pariah at the university and loses his tenure and can only find (for him), humiliating menial employment
• despite Constance's support, Gale tailspins into a pathetic life of self-destructive alcoholism

Of course, all of this is told in flashback, when (72-hours left) Death-row inmate Gale relates to news journalist Elizabeth "Bitsey" Bloom (Kate Winslet) why he isn't guilty of Constance's ghastly murder, for which Gale has been found guilty and sentenced to death.

Proclaiming his innocence, Gale provides Bitsey with enough intrigue about the mysterious hillbilly Dusty Wright (Matt Craven) so that, she and sidekick Zack Stemmons (Gabriel Mann) race against time to save the execution of an innocent man.

The Life Of David Gale DVD

"...What's your stance on capital punishment? Whatever it is, The Life of David Gale probably won't change it; It is, however, enjoyable for what it is, which is basically a whodunit..." Amazon reviewer Daniel V. Reilly

"...In my mind I am comparing this movie, oddly enough, to Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine, and find The Life Of David Gale, the better of the two. I believe both scripts were written with liberal political messages in mind. David Gale being anti-capital punishment, Columbine anti-gun violence. David Gale gets it more right..." Amazon reviewer M.Swinney "Marc My Words".

Spacey is fabulous, continuing his rich mining of Americanus Torturous from American Beauty, Winslet is utterly believable as the manipulated city journalist in a creepy town and the supporting cast, especially Linney is superb. Alan Parker's direction is tight and the music, written by his two sons Alex & Jake is pleasantly effective.

The Life Of David Gale soundtrack

"...The music for this film is devastating, heartbreaking, and moving just like the film it represents. Both are loaded with emotion and power, and this is an example of what a film score should be - an extension of the bones of the story. Excellent..." Amazon reviewer Barry Shanley Jr

American critics were fairly unimpressed by the The Life Of David Gale, perhaps because of their own political agendas and a little research shows that reviews were considerably kinder outside the USA. Certainly, listening to the director's commentary track on the DVD by Englishman Alan Parker (worth the price of the DVD on its own), I find that I can't help but side with him philosophically. Either way, though,  I'm quite happy to recommend The Life Of David Gale as a provocative thriller.

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