An Eye for an Eye, 1996, Rating UK 18, Run Time 101 Mins approx
Can you imagine hearing your 17 year old daughters screams down the end of a phone while she is being raped and murdered and knowing you can't get to her to make it stop? You would be desperate, screaming for someone to help you, running up and down the street like a mad man trying to get to her side, but when the line goes dead it is to late.
This is what happened to Karen McCaan (Sally Fields) and she is haunted by those screams long after her daughter Julie had died. Desperate for justice Karen and her husband Mack (Ed Harris) turn to LAPD to track down their daughters killer and make sure he gets what he deserves.
Robert Doob (Keifer Sutherland) is found as Julie's killer but due to discrepancies over evidence he is let off the hook, Karen and Mack are devastated by this news as it means he walks free for killing their child and he could do the same to someone else.
To try and cope with her depression Karen starts to attend a support group for parents who have lost their children to violent crime, she makes friends with many others and hears the pain they are going through. One day she over hears a secret conversation between some of the members about another way to get the justice they deserve that involves taking the law into their own hands.
Karen is desperate to get on with her life and with her younger daughter Megan age 6 to think about she starts to contemplate all the options she has to get the justice Julie deserves.
My thoughts
This film is not easy to watch a parts with some very distressing scenes, how ever I think a lot has been implied through the use of sound and quick flashing imagery. This is a heart wrenching movie that will have you in tears through out, watching the grief of a family that has lost a daughter in such a violent way.
Sally Fields gives one of her best performances as Karen McCaan, she shows the journey that Karen goes on from hysteria, sadness, depression to anger. Equally Ed Harris who plays Mack also gives a sensitive performance as Julies step father showing the love he had for the girl and how he is hurting too. Keifer Sutherland is seriously evil and creepy as Julies rapist and murderer Robert Doob, he makes your skin crawl every time he appears on screen.
All in all I feel that this story has been handled with the right about of sensitively and violence.
Actors/Characters
Karen McCaan is played by Sally Fields, Karen is a mother of two Julie age 17 and Megan age 6, it is Megan's 6th birthday party and she is running late to set up the party. She phones home to tell Julie she will be late and will she is on the phone someone comes to the door and rapes and murders her daughter while she is on the other end of the phone listening to her daughters screams. Distraught by her daughters death Karen is desperate for justice even if it means taking the la into her own hands. Sally Fields gives a very emotional rollercoaster of a performance as Karen showing all the stages of grief. Sally is a brilliant actress and is known for so many films such as Steel Magnolias and Forest Gump.
Mack McCaan is played by Ed Harris, Mack is Julie's step father and Megan's biological father, when Julie dies he is just as devastated as Karen, but because he is not her 'real' father Karen starts to push him away. Mack is very up set by this as he brought Julie up and loves her just as much, but he also knows that they have to keep going for Megan. Ed gives a very sensitive performance as Mack McCaan, Ed has appeared in many films such as Apollo 13, Step Mom and Pollack.
Robert Doob is played by Keifer Sutherland, Robert Doob is a nasty piece of wok, posing as a delivery man he stalks his prey and when the time is right he pounces and violently rapes and murders them. He is a very clever man and always makes sure that he covers his tracks so that he won't be caught. Keifer Sutherland is so believable as this hideous character, he really is sliming and spine chilling. Keifer Sutherland has been in many films including Stand by Me, Lost Boys, and A Time to Kill.
Eye for an Eye is based on a novel by Erika Holzer this was transformed into a screen play by Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa, Amanda and Rick also wrote screen play The Relic in 1997.
This film was directed by John Schlesinger who has since directed The Tale of Sweeny Todd 1998 and The Next Best Thing 2000.
Where can I get it?
An Eye for an Eye is available on DVD from Amazon for £3.97 or New and Used from £3.21.
![Eye For An Eye [1995]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/65510045.jpg)
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