MIRANDA'S VICTIM (2023) - Movie Review

Director: Michelle Danner
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Luke Wilson, Kyle MacLachlan, Ryan Phillippe, Mireille Enos, Emily VanCamp, Andy Garcia, Donald Sutherland
Genre: Crime, Drama
Writer: J. Craig Stiles
Runtime: 127 min
Rated: Not Rated
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Based on true events, in 1963 eighteen-year-old Trish Weir (Abigail Breslin) is kidnapped and sexually assaulted. Her assailant, Ernesto Miranda (Sebastian Quinn), confesses without legal representation and serves a two-year sentence, only to have the verdict later overturned. In the resulting retrial, a determined prosecutor (Luke Wilson) seeks to hold Ernesto accountable for his crimes, despite grueling opposition from Ernesto's defense attorney (Ryan Phillippe). What follows is a legal proceeding that forever changes the nation's justice system.

Review:

This is one movie that many people probably never heard of. It didn't have much of a theatrical presence and was mostly just a Blu-ray/DVD/streaming release. "Miranda's Victim" is a legal drama based on a true story that deals with important issues. It's not an expensive movie and the budgetary constraints are mostly noticeable in the sets and cinematography, giving it the visual look of a TV (or Netflix) movie. However, what it lacks in production values it more than makes up for with a complex story and a committed cast.

Trish Weir's sexual assault at the hands of Ernesto Miranda sparked a lengthy legal battle that among other things led to the creation of the Miranda rights, which probably many are familiar with from all those TV police procedurals. It's the rights you are being informed of while being arrested. But this is not a story of someone being wrongfully convicted, and that's where the movie becomes more than just your average legal drama. As soon as Miranda's second trial begins, it becomes an exploration of how victims are viewed in the justice system. The movie also offers and unflinching look into what life is like for a rape victim in a society that blames the victim instead of the aggressor.

Abigail Breslin shines in the lead role, highlighting the character's staunch determination and the emotional burden of enduring not one, but two trials, each forcing her to relive the trauma. Trish's mother Zeola Weir, by her own admission a rape survivor, is terrified of what her daughter will have to go through in the public eye, and Mireille Enos is fantastic in the role, as Zeola reluctantly supports her daughter while struggling with her own trauma. Another standout performance is that of Enrique Murciano as the detective who investigated Trish's case. He's so good in fact, that I almost wish he'd get a TV show of his own, cracking cases in the 1960s.

Director Michelle Danner and screenwriter J. Craig Stiles masterfully explore the many facets of this story, highlighting issues that are still extremely relevant without manipulating the viewer. It might seem blunt in its approach, but I applaud the filmmakers for not taking the easy route of injecting cheap sentimentality or sensationalistic thrills into this story. I believe this movie deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.

SCORE: 8/10