Highest-Rated Movies about 'Wrongful Conviction'

After Innocence (2005), Out of Innocence (2016), Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996), The Thin Blue Line (1988), West of Memphis (2012), Just Mercy (2019), Call Northside 777 (1948), The Life of David Gale (2003) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Wrongful Conviction movies.

#1. After Innocence (2005)

Storyline: Following the stories of seven exonerated prisoners, "After Innocence" documents how DNA evidence led to the release of these wrongfully imprisoned, innocent men. Free after years -- and in some cases decades -- behind bars and on death row, these men struggle to transition back into society with inadequate support from the judicial system that wronged them. "After Innocence" brings to light flaws in the criminal justice system and the need for reform.

Plot Keywords: documentary, justice, wrongful conviction, law, social justice, human rights, true story ...

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#3. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)

Storyline: Berlinger and Sinofsky's documentary of a gruesome triple murder in West Memphis, Arkansas and the subsequent trials of three suspects, takes a hard look at both the occult and the American justice system in 'small-town' America. Three teenagers are accused of this horrific crime of killing three children, supposedly as a result of involvement in Satanism. As in their previous documentary, things turn out to be more complex than initial appearances and this film presents the real-life courtroom drama to the viewer, as it unfolds.—Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>

Plot Keywords: crime, documentary, true story, murder, miscarriage of justice, courtroom, investigation ...

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#4. The Thin Blue Line (1988)

Storyline: Errol Morris's unique documentary dramatically re-enacts the crime scene and investigation of a police officer's murder in Dallas, Texas. Briefly, a drifter (Randall Adams) ran out of gas and was picked up by a 16-year-old runaway (David Harris). Later that night, they drank some beer, smoked some marijuana, and went to the movies. Then, their stories diverged. Adams claimed that he left for his motel, where he was staying with his brother, and went to sleep. Harris, however, said that they were stopped by police late that night, and Adams suddenly shot the officer approaching their car. The film shows the audience the evidence gathered by the police, who were under extreme pressure to clear the case. It strongly makes a point that the circumstantial evidence was very flimsy. In fact, it becomes apparent that Harris was a much more likely suspect and was in the middle of a crime spree, eventually ending up on Death Row himself for the later commission of other crimes. Morris implies that the DA's and the judge's desire for the death penalty in this case (for which Harris would have been ineligible because of his youth) made Adams a scapegoat on whom to pin this heinous crime.—Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>

Plot Keywords: documentary, crime, true story, miscarriage of justice, murder, investigation, texas ...

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#5. West of Memphis (2012)

Storyline: West of Memphis is an examination of a failure of justice in Arkansas. The documentary tells the hitherto unknown story behind an extraordinary and desperate fight to bring the truth to light. Told and made by those who lived it, the filmmakers' unprecedented access to the inner workings of the defense, allows the film to show the investigation, research and appeals process in a way that has never been seen before; revealing shocking and disturbing new information about a case that still haunts the American South.—Production

Plot Keywords: documentary, true crime, legal drama, wrongful conviction, murder, justice, courtroom ...

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#6. Just Mercy (2019)

Storyline: A powerful and thought-provoking true-story, "Just Mercy" follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan might have had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson.) One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx,) who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds-and the system-stacked against them.—Gregg Brilliant

Plot Keywords: legal, race, justice, wrongful conviction, death penalty, civil rights, lawyer ...

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#8. The Life of David Gale (2003)

Storyline: When anti-death-penalty activist David Gale is convicted and condemned to death for the murder of a colleague, reporter Bitsey Bloom sets out to learn the story behind Gale's crime. What she finds challenges her belief in Gale's guilt and, finally, in the justice system.

Plot Keywords: death penalty, wrongful conviction, moral dilemma, political conspiracy, suspense, ethics, social criticism ...

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#9. The Hurricane (1999)

Storyline: This film tells the story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, an African-American man who rose above his troubled youth to become a top contender for the middle-weight boxing title. However, his dreams are shattered when he is accused of a triple murder, and is convicted to three natural-life terms. Despite becoming a cause celebre and his dogged efforts to prove his innocence through his autobiography, the years of fruitless efforts have left him discouraged. This changes when an African-American boy and his Canadian mentors read his book and are convinced of his innocence enough to work for his exoneration. However, what Hurricane and his friends learn is that this fight puts them against a racist establishment that profited from this travesty and have no intention of seeing it reversed.

Plot Keywords: biography, drama, sports, wrongful conviction, boxing, racial discrimination, miscarriage of justice ...

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#10. The Next Three Days (2010)

Storyline: Lara Brennan is arrested for murdering her boss with whom she had an argument. It seems she was seen leaving the scene of the crime and her fingerprints were on the murder weapon. Her husband, John would spend the next few years trying to get her released, but there's no evidence that negates the evidence against her. And when the strain of being separated from her family, especially her son, gets to her, John decides to break her out. So he does a lot of research to find a way.

Plot Keywords: thriller, crime, drama, suspense, action, family, romance ...

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#12. Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (2000)

Storyline: A look at the infamous "Scottsboro Boys" case that occurred in Alabama in 1931, in which nine young black men were arrested, tried and quickly convicted in the rape of two white women, despite overwhelming evidence that showed their accusers had falsely accused them and the fact that one of the women later admitted that no rape had in fact occurred (although both had had sexual relations with their boyfriends on the day prior to the "rape"). The case was one of the first that shined a spotlight on what many called the "legal lynchings" that occurred in the South whenever blacks were accused of crimes, especially against whites and most especially against white women.—frankfob2@yahoo.com

Plot Keywords: history, documentary, racial discrimination, american south, miscarriage of justice, trial, racism ...

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#13. Brian Banks (2018)

Storyline: The inspirational true story of Brian Banks (Aldis Hodge), an All-American high school football star committed to USC who finds his life upended when he is wrongly convicted of a crime he didn't commit. Despite lack of evidence, Banks is railroaded through a broken justice system and sentenced to a decade of prison and probation. Years later, with the support of Justin Brooks (Greg Kinnear) and the California Innocence Project, Banks fights to reclaim his life and fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL.—Bleecker Street

Plot Keywords: biography, drama, true story, inspirational, justice system, wrongful conviction, usa ...

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#14. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

Storyline: African-American teen sweethearts Fonny and Tish are ripped apart when Fonny is wrongly arrested for the rape of a Puerto Rican woman because of the machinations of a racist cop. While seeking justice for Fonny, a pregnant Tish relies on her Harlem community, including her sister, mother Sharon and future mother-in-law.

Plot Keywords: romance, drama, race, social injustice, family, america, 1970s ...

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