Levity (2003)

After more than 21 years in prison, paroled murderer Manual Jordan (a lifeless Thornton) struggles with all-consuming guilt, crossing paths with his victim's sister (Holly Hunter), a gruff preacher (Freeman), and a sassy party girl (Kirsten Dunst). And if it sounds like that's not much of a story, it's no accident. The great cinematographer Roger Deakins (Fargo, A Beautiful Mind) crisply captures the winter chill in writer-director Ed Solomon's solemn tale of redemption, and the cast brings complexity to their roles. But the meandering script (Solomon is better known for writing Men in Black) buckles under the film's density. EXTRAS In his commentary with producer Adam J. Merims and editor Pietro Scalia, Solomon admits he wanted the film to be even more ''open-ended''(!)