The Morrison Murders: Based on a True Story (1996)

Sadly Over-hyped

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Fantastic!

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Truck driver Walker Morrison (an excellent and engaging performance by John Corbett) suspects that his younger brother Luke (a fine portrayal by Jonathan Scarfe) was responsible for the shotgun murders of his father, mother, and other younger brother. Director Chris Thomson, working from a compelling script by Keith Ross Leckie, relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, wisely avoids lurid sensationalism, offers a flavorful evocation of the small Southern town setting, and treats the subject matter in an admirably straightforward and unsentimental manner. The strong chemistry between the two leads gives the picture credibility and holds everything together; they receive sturdy support from Maya McLaughlin as Walker's sweet, but suspicious wife Patti, Tonya Allen as Luke's cheerful girlfriend Kimberly Granger, and Gordon Clapp as the hard-nosed Sheriff Bryon Calhoun. The ending packs a devastating emotional punch to the gut. Robert Saad's sharp cinematography makes neat occasional use of a hand-held camera. The twangy score by Micky Erbe and Maribeth Solomon hits the harmonic spot. Worth a watch.

Morrison Murders was a made for TV movie, based on an actual case in Georgia. It was your pretty standard made for TV movie, with one exception, the cast. Usually these things are pretty poorly written, predictable, and a little slow. This movie was far from slow, however a lot of the lines were cheesy and I figured out who did it within the first ten minutes. Sex & The City's John Corbett was very solid as was NYPD Blue's Gordon Clapp. It's nice to see people we associate with one character, stand out and be something completely different in another role. It's pretty much your standard, low budget, made for TV movie. The acting was a little better and the story moved along well, but it was toned down for the small screen and far too predictable for me.

TV churns out dozens of true-crime movies every year. You can see 3 or 4 every Saturday on Lifetime, and Court TV can be relied on for a few every weekend. So I started watching The Morrison Murders thinking I knew very well what to expect: a more or less competent retelling of a real-life family murder. What I got was a subtle, beautifully acted drama that engrossed me from start to finish.Both the brothers were totally convincing, and Jonathan Scarfe was perfect in the challenging role of Luke. The look and feel of Georgia was in almost every frame. If I had any complaint, it was Gordon Clapp as the sheriff. He just doesn't look or act like a small-town Southern lawman named Byron Calhoun. He looks and sounds like Medavoy, and Medavoy is not right for this part.But this is a minor quibble: The Morrison Murders is well worth watching, and not just on a rainy Saturday afternoon. If you're going out, tape it. You won't regret it.

I saw this movie the other night on USA and I must admit, I was impressed. TV movies are normally boring and dull, but I am gonna say that I thought this movie was entertaining and suspenseful.The ending is shocking, twisted, and wonderfully played out. It surprised me and scared me at the same time.The script was all that strong all the time and some of the acting was a little different. However, when this movie is on TV watch it. You are not gonna be disappointed.