After Innocence

2005

Documentary

Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 82% · 48 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 82% · 1K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.6/10 10 909 909

liberation of prisoners falsely accused based on true story exoneration woman director

Plot summary

A moving account of the experiences of men exonerated after years, and sometimes decades, in prison following newly found DNA evidence.

Director

Jessica Sanders Photo
Jessica Sanders

Top cast

Dennis Maher Photo
Dennis Maher as Self
Donat Maher Photo
Donat Maher as Self
Jackie Moto Photo
Jackie Moto as Self
Scott Hornoff Photo
Scott Hornoff as Self
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
879.22 MB
1280*728
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 35 min
Seeds ...
1.59 GB
1856*1056
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 35 min
Seeds ...

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by oneloveall 8 / 10

A focused, personal, often haunting document of lives lost at ignorance's expense

Landmark documentary focuses on a handful of prisoners, whom after 10,15,20 or so years, have been eventually found innocent and set free, only to fall on deaf ears in society. In detailing the startlingly inept justice systems' process dealing with the exonerated, director Jessica Sanders and producer Marc H. Simon largely succeed in documenting the tragic flaws of our system and it's ultimate hypocrisies of presuming innocence. Not only do we get a scathing survey of our governments apathetic synapses when it comes to dispensing justice, but at the heart of this difficult film lies the wounded and warped psychologies these stunningly brave and fierce seven men have been left by society to sift through as they are literally thrown onto the street after decades of wrongful imprisonment with nary a dollar of compensation to their name, often having to fight and pay their own money just to have their false charges expunged.This project illuminates the grim underbelly of our judicial system in a way I think even the most hardened cynic would appreciate, and matched with the emotional perspectives shown struggling and grasping for relevance in a world that could care less, urges viewers to wake up to the less comfortable aspects of our legal system. After Innocence packs even more sting from the tense and unpredicted outcome of these fates, highlighted in particular by inmate Wilton Dedge's ongoing fight for release, an outcome that became the brilliant and triumphant finale only through the goodwill of fate, as the documentary was already due at Sundance before any real resolution was filmed with his scenario. Dedge's Florida case was infamous for having proved his innocence, beyond any shadow of a scientific doubt whatsoever, yet still remained in jail for another 3 years, a testament to how corrupt and proud our monster of justice really is.Anyone who takes a slightest interest in powerful, insightful documentary film-making, promotes social and just change, or wishes to examine the absolute pit of ignorance that remains our legal precedents, should remain riveted throughout the important piece. If the simple and profound legal ramifications dictating how justice is being perverted in our country do not rile you where you sit, behold these seven men and their haunted subtleties, and begin to never take your freedom for granted.
Reviewed by mikewelch7 9 / 10

A Compelling, Impactful Documentary

Bringing to light recent exoneration's made possible through newly admissible DNA evidence, Jessica Sander's "After Innocence" is a very compelling and important documentary.The film focuses on the Project Innocence group, a team of lawyers dedicated to freeing those imprisoned unjustly. This film focused on several Project Innocence cases, where individuals were sentenced, largely based on eyewitness identification, and without physical evidence. Through the use of DNA, the lawyers are able to have their subjects released.As the film relates, being released from prison is not the end of the inmates' struggles. They return to society with nary an apology (much less restitution for unjust imprisonment) from the state's where they were incarcerated. The exonerees then deal with a whole host of complications (such as getting their records expunged of their crimes) after they are released, partly due to the lack of provision for such releases on behalf of the judicial system, and partly due to the uncertain status they are accorded by society.This film was well received at the 2005 Sundance festival. At the end of each showing, the exonerees stood for question and answer sessions, which were highly memorable for all involved.I highly recommend this film, and hope to see it picked up by a film distributor for general release in 2005.
Read more IMDb reviews

3 Comments

Be the first to leave a comment