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Cast: Brian Dennehy, Colm Meaney, Fred Thompson, Ashley Johnson, Nathan West
Love and faith are put to the ultimate test in this stirring romantic drama set against the landmark Scopes "Monkey Trial" of 1925. Charles Anderson (Nathan West, Miracle) is a talented young reporter engaged to Rose (Ashley Johnson, The Help), who works with him at the Tennessee small town newspaper his late father founded. The "Trial of the Century" brings brilliant adversaries William Jennings Bryan (Fred Thompson, The Genesis Code) and Clarence Darrow (Brian Dennehy, Cocoon) to Charles' hometown. But as the trial unfolds, Charles is caught up in the media circus and becomes torn between his journalistic integrity and impressing his mentor, the colorful Baltimore Sun editor H. L. Menken (Colm Meaney, Star Trek: The Next Generation), who presses him to "make a story" instead of report one.
In 1925, the Scopes "Monkey Trial" took place in a small Tennessee town and debated whether evolution should be allowed to be taught in public schools. A massive confrontation that pitted science against theology and two of the most famed orators/lawyers of the period against one another, the case was branded as "The Trial of the Century." "Alleged" not only offers a comprehensive look into the background of this notorious event but it also contains a nice little love story as well. The story mainly focuses on a local reporter who faces difficult decisions about his values and principles when pressed by an unscrupulous editor. Nathan West plays the reporter, Charles Anderson and Ashley Johnson is his future wife. As the Scopes trial is being engineered by local dignitaries to bring tourism and prosperity to the dying town, Charles sees it as a chance to make it in the biz and escape his small, dying town. But his ambitions may cost him the love of his life.
"Alleged" is a family film but it's clearly aimed for adult audiences and children above 12 years of age with it's complex story, if you like history then this is the prefect film for you, plus it has a tender love story backing it up. I already mentioned the two leads but the film also sports a terrific supporting cast including, Brian Dennehy, Colm Meaney and Fred Dalton Thompson. "Alleged" is a must-see film that is well-acted and directed. An engaging film that makes for some great conversation later, I highly recommend it to everyone.
Released by Image Entertainment
**** Out Of *****