"Paris Trout" (1991)

Picture this. A small town. In the deep South. In the mid 50's. A tragedy strikes as a young colored child is murdered after trying to protect her brother and mother. As the trial begins the murder's lawyer, the murder's wife, and the murder all have their lives changed and molded.

Paris Trout (Dennis Hopper), the man accused of murdering the young girl, is very disturbing. For the public he puts on a happy, proud, well respected face. He owns the general store where everyone comes for supplies, and the occasional loan. Under it all though, he is cruel and shows no remorse for any of his actions. He verbally and physically abuses his wife (Hershey).

Hannah Trout, is such a strong and smart woman that it really does make you question why she stays with Paris. I found myself asking this question when ever she is on screen because she really does seem like she has no love for this man and just feels sorry for him. Sorry that he feels like he can "get a thrill" off her emotional and physical displeasure.

I found it hard to watch their scenes together because I've seen relationships like that in my own history and I've always question and can't understand why. Why do women (and men) put themselves through this much pain and embarrassment? She was a teacher. She was smart enough to lock herself away to keep him from hurting her; even though the smarter thing would have been to leave and get as far away as possible.

Being conflicted by all of this is Trout's lawyer, Harry Seagraves (Ed Harris). Going in he has no problem with proving what Trout did was completely out of self defense. Yet, as he digs deeper and deeper it becomes a moral conflict upon himself. He knows that Paris is guilty. He's heard him speak of it as if he would do it over and over again because he just doesn't care. Paris lives by his own moral code, and it's a huge conflict to Harry. Also adding to his displeasure is the fact that Harry uncovers what Paris had done to Hannah.

No one is pure in this film. Everyone has such huge flaws, but that's what makes everyone feel so human that by the end of it you learn a little bit more that nothing is black and white. The man that has to protect his guilty client is fighting the same feelings as the guy trying to put the murder away. The battered wife might be too afraid to leave. The crazy social path husband might finally get pushed too far, and for someone who showed no emotion with killing someone before is faced with a chance to do it again he just might.

I will say that I absolutely love that Barbara Hershey has turned towards doing all these deep, strong character roles. She brings a certain strength but frailty that is needed. Like, she is able to be strong but even when she's strong you can sense that there's something deep inside that is second questioning and causing conflict for her to act upon it. I really don't think it would have been the same performance had it been someone else. You just wouldn't have gotten it. It's that little quality that I feel that I am drawn towards. It just makes her characters more natural.