Janet Gregory, a single mother with a haunting past, is a paralegal struggling to overcome doubts about Calvin Willis, an African-American husband and father wrongfully accused of raping a neighborhood girl. Eventually convinced of his innocence, Janet takes Calvin's pro bono case and wages a dramatic and stormy 22-year battle with the justice system that ultimately redeems an unjustly accused man and cements a life-long friendship.
Acting
Mahershala Ali's pre-Oscar intensity in an early dramatic role.
Writing
Julia Ormond's character avoids white savior tropes — mostly.
Direction
Tom McLoughlin keeps the TV-movie budget invisible.
Director
Tom McLoughlin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Mahershala Ali's first leading dramatic role, filmed years before his Moonlight breakthrough. He reportedly studied footage of the real Calvin Willis to capture his Louisiana cadence.
The real Janet Gregory founded the non-profit Pro Bono Project of New Orleans; the film compresses 22 years but she actually worked multiple exoneration cases simultaneously.
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