Based on a true story of a man sentenced to death row for the arson killing of his three small children, Trial By Fire shines a bright light on a broken justice system in the United States.
When I think of films based on true stories, many of the ones that first come to mind have to do with crimes or prison. Sing Sing, In Cold Blood, and Dead Man Walking each made a lasting impact, and it’s because of the way each story was able to be told. This is very similar.
Trial By Fire is about Cameron “Todd” Willingham, a married father of three young girls, who wakes up one day to find his house engulfed in flames. Unable to save his children and with his wife not at home, he is arrested for murder and ultimately put on death row. With a history of violence and a prior criminal record, his appeals are unsuccessful and he only has one left. That is when he meets divorced mother of two, Elizabeth Gilbert, who first becomes a friend, and later, works towards proving his innocence.
This is a good movie, but I found it tonally uneven. Approximately the first half of the film focuses on the fire, Todd’s arrest, witnesses, his complicated relationship with his wife, and his experience on death row. It feels solid and extremely well-paced. It kept my interest wholeheartedly.
When Elizabeth enters the film, there is a shift. She is measured and earnest, while everything else in the film has felt a bit more like a lion learning to be in a cage while contending with its past. The temperature cools a bit, and while Elizabeth provides a taste of freedom, I didn’t love the feeling.
That said, there are some interesting cinematic choices made in the second half that did not take place in the first half. Todd begins to see the world through Elizabeth’s eyes. While reading her letters, he can imagine all of the minutiae, like he’s there. He also talks to one of his daughters and develops a friendship with a prison guard, which are nice additions.
This film is a fictionalized telling of the real story of Cameron “Todd” Willingham and his friend Elizabeth Gilbert. And while most of it is true, some of the timeline was altered for dramatic reasons. But while I wavered a bit with the tone of the film shifting, the last minutes, and what may have happened with witnesses, the fictionalized governor’s response in the film, followed by the real testimony of Texas Governor Rick Perry, hit me like a ton of bricks. You suddenly go from what you perceive as fiction to hardcore reality. So, any reservations that I had brewing were suddenly erased.
Trial By Fire is a story that needed to be told, and I’m glad that Elizabeth Gilbert was able to make that happen. It provides some exceptional commentary on the weaknesses of the United States justice system, and no matter what you believe about the case, this is a compelling watch.
Runtime: 127 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Available: Free on Prime Video, Tubi, and Roku, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
When I think of films based on true stories, many of the ones that first come to mind have to do with crimes or prison. Sing Sing, In Cold Blood, and Dead Man Walking each made a lasting impact, and it’s because of the way each story was able to be told. This is very similar.
