Directed by: RedfordWith: Wright, McAvoy, Wilkinson, Kevin Kline, Evan Rachel Wood123 minRated PG-13
"The Conspirator" is film with so much potential but so many failures. A distractingly fake period piece, one-dimensional with no character arcs, "The Conspirator" is beset with scenes raggedly edited and features dialogue so predictable that you can nearly write the film yourself as you see it. Wilkinson and Wright deliver respectable performances, but the efforts of McAvoy and Redford left me scratching my head. Jackie Donohoe
"The Conspirator" clearly intends to be fiercely dramatic, yet all of the scenes could pass for Saturday Night Live historical spoofs, albeit poorly-written ones. Apart from Wilkinson's effort, the acting and accents are insufferable, especially those of Justin Long and Alexis Bledel, whose presence in the film is just as confusing as the lack of any romantic plot line. That "The Conspirator" is based on an obscure historical figure is fitting, for this film will surely drift into cinematic obscurity. Kate Sullivan
I am usually a fan of Redford's work, but I was surprised by the casting choices and editing of "The Conspirator." These aspects turned the somewhat serious topic of the conspiracy behind Lincoln's death into a humorous recount I exploded with laughter at the courtroom hissing and Long drunkenly playing the piano. Despite several shortcomings, I think the performances delivered by Wright and McAvoy were respectable enough and worth seeing. Dana Venerable
