Clemency: Alfre Woodard's Stuns In A Movie You May Never See [Review]

PARK CITY – Alfre Woodard may have graced us with the performance of her career. This is not hyperbole. It is not an exaggeration. As a prison warden grappling with the toll of overseeing the executions of men on death row she delivers a nuanced and heartbreaking turn in Chinonye Chukwu‘s drama “Clemency” which debuted at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on Sunday night. The horror is in realizing that the current state of the film means moviegoers may, effectively, never see it.

All due respect to Chukwu, who noted she’d spent four years researching the subject matter during the picture’s post-premiere Q&A, but her decision to hold on a scene or shot beyond a recognizable moment of comfort severely hamstrings her film. Too many scenes simply remain on a character sitting somewhere for an interminable amount of time. You have probably heard critics or filmmaker remark that they made an editing decision to let the film “breathe.” In this case, it’s actually the opposite. The film breathes so much it often comes to a standstill.

In theory, we suspect Chukwu wants to let the emotions of numerous characters, including Bernadine Williams (Woodard), to overwhelm the viewer without the distraction of unnecessary dialogue. That’s an admirable artistic endeavor, but the problem is her choice does the exact opposite and often takes the audience completely out of the narrative. There are other plot points where your attention returns, obviously, but they sometimes feel few and far between. It’s almost as though each scene is turning into a separate piece of performance art or some sort of installation just playing for an extended period of time in front of you. Moreover, these choices don’t just affect Woodard’s exceptional work, but the impressive work of other members of the cast.

The film begins with Victor Jimenez (Alex Castillo, strong), an inmate who, despite his mother’s hopes, does not receive a last-minute reprieve on the day of his execution. Chukwu shoots his last minutes in methodical detail. Victor is strapped down by officers from the prison. The medic attempts to put the IV in him not once, not twice, but three times which only adds to the tension in the room. The medic is finally forced to put the IV in an artery through his stomach which causes him significant pain. And then after he basically declines his right to make a final statement, his execution almost fails because the tube comes out of his stomach. Bernadine is flabbergasted and can barely hold in her emotion over something wrong going on under her watch. Chukwu does use a few of her long takes in this sequence, but it works because of Castillo’s gripping performance and the fear and anticipation over Victor’s fate.

Before Bernadine can focus on other needs at the prison she learns that Anthony Woods (Aldis Hodge, incredible), another death row inmate, has lost his last judicial appeal. That means the clock for his own execution has begun. We learn that Bernadine is a public officer that plays by the book with no exceptions, but she has sympathy for Anthony who recently lost his mother and appears to have no other living relatives. Anthony was convicted of killing a police officer and his case is complicated by the fact a strong amount of evidence suggests his conviction was unfounded. His one regular visitor is his lawyer, Marty Lumetta (Richard Schiff, very good), who is so disheartened by Anthony’s fate he’s planning on retiring after the case comes to an end.

Bernadine, meanwhile, is gradually unraveling. Jimenez was her 12th execution in seven years. She finds herself unable to sleep and wanting to drink to mask the trauma of so many executions (the fact Woodard can pull off the later without making it seem like a familiar trope is another example of her exquisite talent). Bernadine’s increasingly stressed mental state is apparent to her husband, Jonathan Williams (Wendell Pierce, always impressive), a school teacher who thinks they should both retire sooner rather than later. That’s not something Bernadine could ever consider (this is her “profession”) and it forces Jonathan to step away when she probably needs him the most.

The film eventually takes a predictable turn that is simply too drawn out because of Chukwu’s editing decisions. What saves Chukwu is Woodard. She is simply shattering in a moment that will be etched in your mind for days on end. But, boy, does Chukwu demand your patience in getting there.

It may seem out of bounds to ask a filmmaker in a formal review to consider returning to the editing room, but in this case, it’s warranted. Woodard is too good to not have this performance seen by the masses or at least the art house masses. The film’s tone and aesthetic can absolutely remain even when taking these criticisms into account. The fear is that without some snips a significant distributor will not come on board to acquire it and that would be a shame considering the performances captured on screen. For Woodard’s sake, especially, here’s hoping Chukwu will at least consider it. [C+, current version]

Check out all our coverage from the 2019 Sundance Film Festival here.