A Lesson Before Dying (1999) Online

While I do not consider myself an expert in recognizing various performers, I certainly can react to good plots and to well constructed story lines. Very heartwarming to the extent that I felt obligated to try to compensate for the wrongs unfairly committed in the past. Required viewing in an American history course. A people that cares for its minorities will not condone ethnic cleansing. I certainly believe all participants of this film must feel very proud. It merits rave reviews.

The story evolves around a black youth who is present during a shooting in a white owned grocery store. The owner is killed along with two black men. The young man decides to help himself to the contents of the cash register. Just as the crime is committed he is discovered and ends up being executed. The real story evolves around his feelings and those who were closest to him. The movie is done with the greatest sensitivity and understanding. The acting and directing could not be improved in showing the tragedy to both whites and blacks of the consequences of our prejudices.

I taped this film when it was on tv and come back to it every so often. It is very well done, superbly crafted, and the storytelling is excellent. But what keeps me watching is the performances, specifically Don Cheadles. This man is quite simply a great actor, he is where Denzel was ten years ago. Cicely Tyson remains one of our greatest assets, and the whole cast brings a sensitivity and authenticity to it that makes it sing. Worth watching with your kids, it has valuable lessons for us all.

This movie brought me to tears. It was honest, upright and well executed. It plunks us right in the middle of a serious situation, a situation where there are can hardy be winners. The absolute good thing about this movie is that it's not pointing a finger; it just shows the facts. There are no supernatural interferences, except maybe the realization of a friendship, the establishment of kinship and the acceptance of reality and how to cope with it in order to change it for the better.

Great movie, it gets 8 out of 10 from me. Recommended viewing.

I was required this semester to read a book by an American author and then watch at least one movie based upon the book. I chose "A Lesson Before Dying," by Ernest J. Gaines. The book was excellent and made me cry. The movie was very close to the book, with the exception that some of the scenes orders were switched up (which did not change the meaning very much), it was missing an important, but long scene (the scene's length is probably why it was left out), and a main character was completely deleted. All in all, though, a person could learn just as many things from the movie as from the book, although I still recommend reading the book. I enjoyed watching the movie, the acting was very good. Too bad this movie couldn't make it on the big screen. There are so many lessons to be learned from the unbelievable story line.

What a beautiful film this is! The injustice perpetrated in the South (and frequently elsewhere) against the black people in a society dominated by whites is its noble theme. But so much more. How the relationship between two men can bring strength to the one oppressed, comfort to his soul and dignity to his being has been brilliantly portrayed and performed. It's an inspiration to us all. And in that relationship there are lessons for both men. Don Cheadle as a sensitive black teacher and Phifer as the wronged prisoner are splendid and convincing. The rest of the cast is also fine. Although this is a movie to touch the heart deeply, even profoundly, it avoids striking any note of sentimentality. There are hard truths presented here...but with such humanity I was almost happy to face them.

This movie is a great work, and hopefully has made it's way into our history education here in the states. The only negative I can find concerning this movie, is that such events occur in our world. Like life, the happy ending is all to often, only a barely tolerable out come to an injustice. Most times it's not even that. I vote a full board on this one, from cast and crew, to content and style

Seven out of ten HBO TV movie gives us what seven out of ten regular Hollywood movie can't give : a strong story. There is also a good sense of honesty in these TV productions. This one is among the best HBO I've seen in years. The story is superb and the script is very well written. Actors are also very strong. The message of this film should be known by all the people. It's also a great tearjerker!

I read the book not that long ago, and had been trying for some time to locate this HBO version for some time. I finally recieved it as a Christmas present and watched it. It was fantastic! Screenwriter Ann peacock and director Joseph Sargent did a fantastic job bring Ernest Gaines' novel to the small screen. It's worth seeking out!

A "Lesson Before Dying" is a powerful and passionate film, so beautifully written and so beautifully acted it is one of those rare exceptions where the film adaptation is better than the book. The entire cast is wonderful, and many awards should await them all. Cycely Tyson and Irma P. Hall are amazing and moving as two women whose strength,love and dignity guide through the pain. Mehki Phifer,gives a powerful performance as Jefferson, a young man sentenced to die for a crime he did not commit. He truly brings honesty and humanity to a young man who is seen by white society as inhuman. And Don Cheadle brings compassionate and dignity to the teacher who must help Jefferson stand tall.

I can't say enough about "A Lesson Before Dying." The injustice committed will anger you, the fate of Jefferson will sadden you, but ultimately knowing these people and sharing in their lives, and seeing dignity and love rise from the ashes of a cruel and uncaring world make the anger and sadness worth it all.

This film should not be missed. And if you don't cry by the end, you better take a trip to Oz with Dorothy and the Tin Man, because you don't have a heart.

Having just finished the novel, I was excited to watch this film. I had seen a lot of people rent it over the years, and knew the quality of the cast, so I was eager to enjoy it. Unfortunately, the cheap production, poorly written script, flat direction, and over-dramatic score really hamper what could have been a great film. This is a film that hits you over the head with emotion, rather than letting it seep through in nuance. We are constantly told, through histrionic music and stage sized acting, what we are supposed to feel. If the film was black and white, it would fit perfectly into the 1950's melodrama genre. The actors in this film are playing caricatures rather than characters with back story and motivations. This film is too broad, too overplayed, and too cursory. This is a wonderful story that deserves a director who truly understands the material and knows the world the events are set in. Hopefully, with remakes being the all the rage, this novel will get a new chance to shine on screen.

Seen this movie when I was younger, and didn't appreciate it as much as I did with a second-viewing, maybe because I'm older and understand some more of the concepts of having dignity with injustice.

Even though the movie is a made for TV HBO movie, it has some high-quality actors like Don Cheadle and Mekhi Pheifer with solid performances that isn't overly sentimental or preachy about the morals of right and wrong and injustice of the 1940s segregated South. Instead, it's a heart-touching look at how a person can live righteously even in the face of injustice.

And kudos to the filmmakers as the scenery and even down to the accents seemed historically accurate. I felt like I wasn't watching a made for TV movie at all, well it was a HBO movie so that just shows you the high-quality that was put into it as in many HBO movies. A true must see for people that like historical movies, especially one with messages that overly preachy.

A really great film, beautifully filmed and acted with excellent character development. Much better than Miss Evers' Boys which was made by the same director. I really liked all the characters in each of their roles, and the spectator's interest is maintained without fail during the whole of the film. Although it is a very sad and unjust story the emotion distilled is enough to keep the spectator riveted to his or her seat !

a great american movie. typical american justice system. typical american mentality. typical american prejudice. typical american ignorance. typical american emotions. this is the "all american" movie of the year.

This was a beautiful, touching movie. The title seems only to refer to the wrongly convicted man, but I found it to involve all the characters. Though Jefferson learned a lot about believing in himself from Grant, Grant also learned about faith from Jefferson. We viewers learned a lot from all of these characters.

Don Cheadle is one of the finest actors of our time...period! He has played a variety of roles any actor would be proud of. From light comedy in The Golden Palace and recurring TV drama roles to great films such as A Lesson Before Dying, Hotel Rawanda and Crash. While some of his roles were strictly race oriented, such as these aforementioned films, he has played roles that a person with any racial or ethnic background could have played. Don Cheadle's masterful performances in all of his roles makes him a great actor and there is no denying this. Yes, of course, I see him as an African American, but most of his roles cross the racial divide. This again shows you the magnitude of his talent. I also find that many actors when playing very dramatic roles as in the three movies I mentioned, tend to be OVER-dramatic. Cheadle controls this beautifully and his emotions are strong, yet remain in check. Another attribute is the fact that he looks like the "guy next door." Not overly good looking with a chiseled face, but a nice, sincere, deep common man look that allows him to play so many roles. He is built beautifully as he shows his bare rear end in this film and also has been seen topless in some films and TV. I have seen almost all of his work and can not tell you how highly I think of his performances. He has got to be one of the best actors I have ever seen and rave about him constantly. He has never disappointed me. My only disappointment was that they didn't give co-Acadamy Awards for Best Actor to Fox for Ray and Cheadle for Hotel Rawanda. I am sure Cheadle will see that award someday very soon....

I have never been bias, but this movie made me ashamed to be a white man. Tears are falling from my eyes as I write this. Jefferson was as good a man as anyone could have been. He was referred to in court as a hog. That would have been humiliating to anyone, and I believe the man who said it it meant for it to be. This bothered Jrfferson more than the death penalty that had been put on him.

MR. Wiggins, who was more or less employed by the lady who raised Jefferson to try and instill some dignity into him before he was executed, had his work cut out for him, but in the end he did seem to get through to Jefferson that he was much more than a hog.

He did finally have to meet his maker, but he did it with an undaunted dignity. Thank you for letting me express my opinion.

This would have been a very good movie if the acting were better. The script could have used some help also. The ideas are good. First of all Mr Cheadle was not believable and his romance was not too plausable either. This was a movie that counted on the audience to add up the pieces and take a lot for granted. It didn't really show the transformations depicted. We knew they were supposed to happen so they did but I really didn't feel the charactors making the changes I just new what would happen and it did.

This film is about a black man wrongly convicted of murder in America back in the 40's. A teacher unwillingly starts to visit him, and forms a bond that change them both forever.

"A Lesson Before Dying" is a great film. The character portrayal and their dialogs consistently shine. The supportive Vivian's lines are positive and encouraging, and she evokes strength and courage in others. Her line about how "Everytime a black little one is born, they hope he is the one" is heartbreaking. It encapsulates their desperate despair and their remote hope all in a few words.

Edna Guidry, though a minor character, is very memorable because of her pretentious and superficial dialogs. When there is clearly an agenda in the tea meeting, she keeps on saying irrelevant things and keeps on ordering the maid to bring more alcohol. It shows how severe and scathing the discrimination is towards black people in those days. Grant Wiggins' bond with Jefferson is developed convincingly. Though this bond is brief, its effect is everlasting. I also find the struggle of faith in the film portrayed well.

The whole story in very convincing and touching. It keeps me wanting to know more. It is powerful. "A Lesson Before Dying" should earn just as much recognition as "Dead Man Walking".

I thought this was a poor adaptation of an incredible book. I never felt for the characters in the movie the way I did when I read the book. Also, the dialogue seemed especially weak. And what's the deal with the Louis Armstrong accents? Very distracting.