Clemency Dvd

Clemency is a 2019 American drama film written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu. It stars Alfre Woodard, Richard Schiff, Danielle Brooks, Michael O’Neill, Richard Gunn, Wendell Pierce and Aldis Hodge. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2019. It was released on December 27, 2019, by Neon. It received critical acclaim for its screenplay, cinematography, Chukwu’s direction, score, themes, and Woodard’s performance.

Plot

Bernadine Williams, a prison warden, oversees the execution of inmate Victor Jimenez alongside the prison chaplain, David Kendricks. The attending medical officer fails to find an adequate arm vein and begins to panic. Bernadine gives the medical officer permission to use the femoral vein. The execution goes awry and Victor writhes on the table before his heart finally stops.

One of Bernadine’s inmates is Anthony Woods, a quiet man who continues to maintain his innocence and refuses to talk to Bernadine when she visits his cell on death row. Bernadine is well acquainted with Anthony’s lawyer, Marty, who has been fighting to free his client for the past seven years. Bernadine learns through Marty that Anthony has lost his final appeal. She begins to make preparations for his death. At home, Bernadine suffers from insomnia and recurring nightmares.

While she maintains an outwardly calm and professional appearance, she struggles emotionally, drinking heavily after work and feuding with her husband, Jonathan. Jonathan, a high school teacher, wants Bernadine to quit her job as he sees how heavily her work has been weighing on her. After a confrontation on the night of their wedding anniversary, Jonathan leaves Bernadine and checks into a motel.

Anthony receives a letter from Evette, a former girlfriend, informing him that they have a child. He consents to see her during visiting hours, where she reveals that she hid her pregnancy from him and raised her child with another man to give him better opportunities in life than with a father on death row. She offers to let Anthony see his child before he is executed.

Having exhausted the number of court appeals, Marty files an appeal hoping for a last minute pardon from the state governor. He makes television appearances and continues to visit Anthony often. Bernadine visits Chaplain Kendricks and asks him to not give up on Anthony. Jonathan returns home but Bernadine continues to keep her emotions to herself.

On the day of his execution, Anthony waits for Evette and his son but they fail to show up. Bernadine leaves voicemails on Evette’s phone to no avail. As Marty and Chaplain Kendricks offer Anthony solace, the governor’s office calls the prison to inform they will not grant clemency.

Anthony is escorted to the execution room and strapped into the execution table. Bernadine asks if there is anything he would like to say. In his final statement, Anthony speaks to Mr. and Mrs. Collins, the parents of the man he was convicted of murdering. He expresses sorrow for their loss and reasserts his innocence. He thanks Marty and Chaplain Kendricks for their help throughout the years. Bernadine weeps as she watches him die.

Cast

Alfre Woodard as Warden Bernadine Williams
Wendell Pierce as Jonathan Williams
Aldis Hodge as Anthony Woods
Richard Schiff as Marty Lumetta
Danielle Brooks as Evette
LaMonica Garrett as Logan Cartwright
Michael O’Neill as Chaplain David Kendricks
Michelle C. Bonilla as Sonia
Vernee Watson-Johnson as Mrs. Collins
Dennis Haskins as Mr. Collins
Richard Gunn as Thomas Morgan
Alex Castillo as Victor Jimenez
Alma Martinez as Ms. Jimenez