CLEMENCY Starring Alfre Woodward

CLEMENCY is not a movie meant for enjoyment.  It's meant to make you cry out against the inhumane cruelty of capital punishment; premeditated murder.  CLEMENCY stars Alfre Woodward as warden Woods.  As warden she oversees inmates, staff and carries out mandated executions.  Just doing her job.  And, the rest of us are just are not doing enough to end this inhumane, legalized killing. The warden is not able to leave her work behind.  She's shackled to her conscience that will not justify capital punishment.  The majority of states in our nation, 30, allow for capital punishment.  CA Gov. Gavin Newsom put a moratorium on capital punishment March, 2019.   IL Gov. Pat Quinn abolished the death penalty July, 2011 and commuted the death sentences of 15 inmates.  Already burdened with the responsibility of carrying out death sentences, Woods oversees an execution by lethal injection that goes horribly wrong.  Not that there's any humane method for killing someone.  The next prisoner on death row, Anthony (Aldis Hodge) is holding onto hope for clemency and a chance to meet the son he didn't he had.  Richard Schiff plays Marty, Anthony's attorney and lifeline from despair.  There is dignity & respect bestowed between the warden & Anthony.  The unbearable conundrum is the hypocrisy of compassion & respect for an individual cannot be aligned with a humanity that condones the taking of human life.  Woodward, Hodge & Schiff give tour-de-force performances that will leave you stunned.  CLEMENCY is a film everyone must bear witness.  The film cries out to the heart and soul just how barbaric executions are which cannot be justified within  civilized society.  There are no innocent bystanders.