Film Review: MIRANDA’S VICTIM (2023): Abigail Breslin Turns in a Powerful Performance in Michelle Danner’s Important Dramatic Film

Miranda’s Victim Review

Miranda’s Victim (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by Michelle Danner, written by George Kolber, Richard Lasser and J. Craig Stiles and starring Abigail Breslin, Emily VanCamp, Mireille Enos, Sebastian Quinn, Luke Wilson, Donald Sutherland, Andy Garcia, Ryan Phillippe, Taryn Manning, Kyle MacLachlan, Nolan Gould, Enrique Murciano, Josh Bowman, Brent Sexton, Dan Lauria, Najah Bradley, James Healy Jr. and Carley Harper.

Michelle Danner has directed a first-rate cast in Miranda’s Victim, the important true story of a courageous young woman named Trish Weir (Abigail Breslin). Set in the 1960’s, the film focuses on Trish who had the strength to cope with the formidable obstacles life put in her way. This film is a testament to the power of perseverance and a portrait of how the legal system developed the law which led to the necessity of the Miranda Rights during arrests. Breslin’s performance is one with great depth and is among the most important roles of her career. Danner has assembled a fine cast that helps make Miranda’s Victim a movie that is among the best of recent courtroom dramas.

As the film opens, the young teenager, Trish, is working at a movie theater called the Paramount. She rides the bus home with a boy late at night after work but when they leave one another, something unthinkable happens to Trish which will change her life forever. Trish goes to the doctor to follow up after she is kidnapped and raped, and she is timid and afraid of discussing what happened to her. Because of the time period the film is set in, some people make suggestions about Trish’s predicament, including her mom, Zeola (the terrific Mireille Enos). However, soon Trish’s family and the local authorities come to realize that Trish was actually attacked.

Trish’s attacker was a man named Ernesto Miranda (Sebastian Quinn) who was a much older man. When the police discovered the truth and got Miranda to confess to kidnapping and raping Trish, the case was decided and Miranda was sentenced to several decades in prison.

In an excellent performance as Trish’s lawyer, Lawrence Turoff, Luke Wilson is incredible in one of his best supporting roles to date. Turoff stood by Trish in her quest for the truth to come out and Turoff defeated Miranda’s lawyer, Alvin Moore (a solid Andy Garcia) in court. Trish went on to marry and kept the details of her attack a secret through the years. However, when a loophole arose regarding the fact that Miranda was not informed of his right to remain silent, a hard-nosed lawyer named John Flynn (Ryan Phillippe, also terrific) brought the case back to court in an effort to overturn the decision that was made in the case. The movie then shifts to the Supreme Court where a decision will be made that could undo the previous one.

This film is an incredibly well made movie. It holds the viewer’s attention throughout the entire picture. Breslin amazes in a difficult role to play, conveying a remarkable character transformation during the course of the movie. Trish appears hopeful about life in the beginning of the film and starts to lose a lot of her faith after her brutal attack. But, thanks to the support of her family and lawyer, she stands strong and manages to face her attacker in court for another chance to see justice be served. Breslin captures all the complexity of Trish extraordinarily well.

There are many fine supporting performances here besides Enos’s, Wilson’s and Phillippe’s. It’s great to see Donald Sutherland back on screen as the fair Judge Wren while Emily VanCamp really stands out as Ann Weir, Trish’s devoted sister. Sutherland is perfectly cast in his pivotal role and VanCamp adds goodness and decency to her character who, alongside their mom, becomes a support system for Trish throughout.  Quinn is also strong as Miranda in a role that certainly wasn’t easy for the actor to play.

Miranda’s Victim avoids easy pitfalls that movies like this could face. For one, the movie saves the details of Trish’s attack until much later in the movie which helps the film build the dramatic substance it needs to before delving into the horrific attack on Trish that occurred. This is a well-rendered choice that works tremendously in the movie’s favor.

There are also some very authentic courtroom scenes here. One of them forces Trish to speak up on the stand and, in this particular sequence, Breslin’s performance is absolutely perfect. Trish suffered a tremendous amount of loss in her life in order to achieve justice. She ultimately lost a lot, including her marriage, to see the truth be told. This movie is a powerful film that never steers off track, maintaining the audience’s full attention every step of the way.

Miranda’s Victim is an excellent movie that is absolutely riveting to watch. Although Breslin’s superb work helps shape the dramatic structure of the film, she is more than properly supported by a fine cast of seasoned character actors. It’s the combination of great acting, probing direction and a compelling story line that makes this film an important part of cinematic history for viewers who are interested about the legal system and/or the personal journey of a woman who was brave and strong. Trish truly helped other women who faced similar attacks know that they were not alone. Miranda’s Victim is dramatic film-making of the highest caliber. It should not be missed.

Rating: 9/10

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