The trailer for Conviction hit the Internets today (watch it below), and though the film won’t be in theaters until Oct. 15, inquiring minds are already wondering if there’s gonna be yet another showdown between Hilary Swank and Annette Bening at the Kodak Theatre next year. Directed by Tony Goldwyn (A Walk on the Moon), Conviction is a based-on-a-true-story drama with Swank starring as Betty Anne Waters, the working-class single mom who put herself through law school to overturn her brother’s (Sam Rockwell) life sentence for a murder he didn’t commit. It also stars Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo, and Peter Gallagher.
Despite — actually, make that because of — its bordering-on-hokey voice-over (“Experience the extraordinary journey…”), the trailer seems to have been tailor-made in the Oscar Bait-n-Tackle Shop. (And woah…check out Juliette Lewis’ nasty rotten teef at 1:12!) If the movie and Swank’s turn in it end up being real Oscar contenders, then there is a very good chance that she will go head-to-head in the Best Actress race with Bening, who is is getting extraordinary (and very much deserved) praise for her performance in The Kids Are All Right (July 9). Swank famously beat Bening twice before: first in 2000 for Boys Don’t Cry vs. Bening’s American Beauty, then in 2005 for Million Dollar Baby vs. Being Julia.
Obviously, it’s absurdly early to be making any real assessment of how Conviction will fare with the Academy. And of course, I’m not Dave Karger, who will surely be weighing in on this matter himself in the coming months. But anyway, check out the trailer and share your first impressions of Conviction. Oscar contender or Lifetime movie-of-the-week? Is it gonna be Swank vs. Bening, round three? Snaps for Melissa Leo!
Looks good. Love, love, LOVE Hilary Swank.
Who cares about Swank, get Sam Rockwell a nomination! Swank’s won twice already, there’s no reason to give her a third award this early in her career. If Annette Bening gets her nod (which she better) she’ll have to win because it will be her fourth without a win.
Yes! I was so upset that he didn’t get nominated for Moon.
i can already tell whose going to be in the oscar race for best actress; anne hathaway (love and other drugs) and hilary swank.
Saw this at an advanced screening months ago, it was EXCELLENT. Absolutely Swank’s best work to date.
Hillary and Sam work soooo well together! This movie had my full attention from beginning to end, and that’s saying alot.
Where we watching the same trailers? After watching it, how can anyone think that Swank will get nominated here? Looks like another Amelia.
Judging from it, Bening has the upper hand, but Mulligan could win for “Never Let Me Go”
And I so agree with Marten, how could Rockwell not get a nomination for Moon?
Hilary Swank is lucky she already has two Oscars. She’s a good actress, but she’s not the best around. One can make the argument that she deserved her first Oscar for Boys Don’t Cry (even though I would have much rather seen it go to Annette Bening for American Beauty). But her second win for Million Dollar Baby was ridiculous. That belonged to Kate Winslet for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It was so absurd that Swank won two Oscars before Winslet even won her first.
As for this movie Conviction, it seems alright even though it looks like a Lifetime movie-of-the-week getting the big screen treatment (like The Blind Side). I just get annoyed when films like this are so shamelessly trying to be Oscar-bait.
Does anyone know the music at the beginning of the trailer?
It’s the music from AVATAR…
The music from the first part of the trailer is from Blood Diamond.
I hope so, I like to imagine there’s an “All About Eve” scenario between the two of them.
It would be HYSTERICAL if both Bening and Swank were nominated together and Swank won AGAIN.
I think, at that point, Bening would shank Swank in the parking lot.
Why am I always so annoyed by Swank? I know she keeps getting awards and accolades, but I can’t watch her in anything! Rockwell, on the other hand, I love!
I completely agree.
The aspects that Annette Bening is way overdue for a win and she is indeed getting excellent reviews for her work aside, if Hillary Swank receives a 3rd Oscar while Meryl Streep has 2, that’s going to be the very end of me watching the Academy Awards or even giving any credit to them at all.
My only problem with Swank is that she hardly ever diversifies. I mean, kudos to her always wanting to take strong female roles and whatnot, but damn, lighten up a bit. It wouldn’t kill you to do a rom-com once in a while (btw, “P.S. I Love You doesn’t count. That movie was utter drek). Seems her and Jennifer Aniston could do each other a favor and switch scripts for a while.
There’s more than one Internet?
I think Sam Rockwell deserves an Oscar nomination. He was totally robbed for his performance in Moon. He’s an absolutely phenominal actor. But I digress, this movie definitely looks like Oscar Bait. If Swank and Benning go head to head again, Benning will probably come out on top regardless of performance b/c of oscar politics.
You guys are nuts. You really make me laugh out loud.
First of all, the movie looks great despite Fox Searchlight’s apparent amateur marketing department. I’ve read a few different posts from those who have seen early screenings and the word is very positive, which is why Fox Searchlight is trying to position it just so. You can’t blame Swank for winning 2 Oscars. She does what she does best and she does it very well, so don’t hate. You certainly wouldn’t see Adam Sandler doing Beowulf would you? No, he sticks to what he’s good at. And the whole Meryl Streep comparison is getting SO OLD. The woman is golden, she’s a legend and she doesn’t need 3 or 4 or 5 Oscars to solidify that. If Swank and Bening go head to head again, then I hope whoever turns in the more deserving performance wins. If I had to guess, I would think that they would split the vote and another nominee would sneak in and win. But so far, so good for CONVICTION. I can’t wait to see it…and let’s remember the other cast members besides Swank and Rockwell. Juliette Lewis looks like she burns through a few scenes. It would be nice to see her back in the running after she lost to Mercedes Ruhl. Ugh. Still pissed about that.