On DVD: 'American Violet'

'American Violet' (PG-13) ***1/2

Writer and Producer: Bill Haney
Director: Tim Disney
Starring: Nicole Beharie, Alfre Woodard, Michael O'Keefe, Tim Blake Nelson, Will Patton, Charles Dutton, Xzibit, Paul Guilfoyle, Tim Ware

"American Violet" is a powerful and engrossing independent movie based on a true life landmark case. It also gave me a great new discovery of a great new actress in a beautiful performance. This is a good court room drama with all the trimmings including an interesting case, great villains and suspenseful testimonies. Nicole Beharie plays Violet who is a young black woman who is divorced with four kids, two of them from two other fathers. Her mother is great support and she is played well as usual by Alfre Woodard. After a drug raid conducted by a District Attorney (Michael O'Keefe) Violet is targeted as a drug dealer who supposedly is dealing in a school zone. She denies this and it turns out that a drug addict has singled out her as a drug dealer. She is offered a plea bargain to admit guilt but she refuses because she did not do this. An ACLU lawyer approaches her to sue the District Attorney for racism as the drug raids only single out black people. Nicole Beharie is a beautiful, talented actress who gives an impactful and natural performance. The movie also has one of the best supporting casts including the great character actors Will Patton and Tim Blake Nelson as the two lawyers helping her out. There is also a great villain turn by Michael O'Keefe who is an under rated actor who I grew up watching and I have always loved in every thing he has done. You might remember him from "The Great Santini" and the television show "Roseanne" and here he is smug and evil and a perfect bad guy to hate. When depositions are given the movie becomes suspenseful and there is a final scene that is very powerful and very well written. This is an important and very well done movie with a character and story you care about and great performances. "American Violet" is now available on DVD.