A review of the 2016 film “The Whole Truth”
This is a courtroom drama that follows the standard tropes of the genre. It is Louisiana and a man has been murdered; his son confesses to the crime and it seems like an open and shut case. But this is a movie so we know that it is not going to be as simple as that and, sure enough, a series of flashbacks gradually reveal more and more about the death and, in the end, we have the inevitable reveal in the form of an unexpected twist.There are a couple of features which make this rather traditional work quite watchable. First, the actors, especially Keanu Reeves – looking much more presentable that in his John Wick persona – as the defending attorney and Renée Zellweger – looking utterly different from her Bridget Jones character – as the victim’s wife. Second, it only runs for an hour and a half which is a refreshing change from the glut of movies that last too long.