Overview
A gripping tale of justice and morality unfolds in a racially charged courtroom drama.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- angry
- earnest
- courtroom thriller night
- serious movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film overlong and superficial but credited its craftsmanship and strong performances, especially Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jake Brigance must defend Carl Lee Hailey before a Mississippi system shaped by an all-white jury and communal bigotry.
The defense centers on whether Carl Lee can receive a fair trial after taking revenge for the assault of his daughter.
Carl Lee kills the two attackers in the courthouse after fearing they will escape meaningful punishment.
The trial unfolds in Clanton, Mississippi, amid threats, community polarization, and Ku Klux Klan violence.
Films like A Time to Kill, and why
To Kill a Mockingbird
shared courtroom drama structure, racial injustice themes, moral argument, and emotionally forceful performances
The Chamber
shared legal thriller format, institutional corruption, capital punishment concerns, and high-stakes defense
Mississippi Burning
shared southern courtroom setting, vigilante justice, racial tension, and confrontational trial proceedings
A Few Good Men
shared legal suspense, principled advocacy, prejudice, and an imperiled protagonist confronting powerful opposition
Movie Details
- Director
- Joel Schumacher
- Release Date
- 1996-07-24
- Runtime
- 149 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (3104)
Cast
- Matthew McConaughey
- Sandra Bullock
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Kevin Spacey
- Ashley Judd
- Donald Sutherland
- Oliver Platt
- Charles S. Dutton
- Brenda Fricker
- Kiefer Sutherland
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is A Time to Kill about?
- A principled Mississippi defense lawyer risks everything to secure a fair trial for a grieving father who answered racial violence with courthouse murder.
- What is A Time to Kill like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Time to Kill as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is A Time to Kill violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in A Time to Kill as brutal.
- What did critics think of A Time to Kill?
- Critics generally found the film overlong and superficial but credited its craftsmanship and strong performances, especially Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey.
- Which films are like A Time to Kill?
- Films with a similar feel include To Kill a Mockingbird, The Chamber, Mississippi Burning, and A Few Good Men.
- How long is A Time to Kill?
- A Time to Kill runs 149 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Time to Kill?
- In United States, A Time to Kill streams on Philo.
