Film Review – My Days of Mercy

Perhaps hunting for a ripe acting challenge, actresses Kate Mara and Ellen Page co-produce “My Days of Mercy,” helping to bring difficult material to the screen. There so much here for the talent to dig into, with Joe Barton’s screenplay touching on the death penalty, forbidden love, and family ties, giving the leads a chance to feel around for emotional purgings as they strive to stretch as performers. It’s mission accomplished for the most part, as “My Days of Mercy” has a severe tone that welcomes nuanced performances and troubling turns of fate. There’s a message about the reality of the death row experience, and a potent one, but the feature is mostly about watching Page and Mara manage dramatics, trying to make potentially one-dimensional characters into living, breathing human beings. They’re successful, even when the movie isn’t. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com