The Whole Truth

The defence lawyer Richard Ramsay takes the case of seventeen-year-old Mike Lassiter, accused of killing his wealthy father. The boy will not speak. As the trial goes on, witnesses describe the dead man's violence toward his family. Mike finally speaks and says it was self-defence. The truth comes out afterwards: Ramsay and the boy's mother Loretta planned the killing together, and the confession was to protect her. Courtney Hunt directed from a screenplay by Nicholas Kazan. Keanu Reeves, Renee Zellweger, Gabriel Basso, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Jim Belushi are in the cast. There was a late change in casting: Daniel Craig was attached to the lead in January 2014 and withdrew days before shooting. Keanu Reeves replaced him in June 2014. Photography began in New Orleans on 7 July 2014. The reviews were largely negative. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 34 percent from 32 reviews, the consensus saying it brings nothing new to courtroom drama. It took only 1.7 million dollars against a 7.9 million budget. Who it is for: viewers who like courtroom thrillers and are curious about the final turn. Who it is not for: anyone looking for depth of character. The film puts all its weight on the reveal and builds nobody before it.