Clemency

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1:51

Clemency

R

Released Dec 27, 2019

1h 53m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

154 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

50+ Verified Ratings

Years of carrying out death row executions are taking a toll on Warden Bernadine Williams. As she prepares for another one, Williams must confront the psychological and emotional demons that her job creates.

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Critics Consensus

Clemency mines serious social issues for gripping drama, brought to life by an outstanding cast led by Alfre Woodard.

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Clarisse Loughrey

Independent (UK)

Clemency is proof of just how effortlessly [Woodard] can lead a film.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 9, 2020

Full Review

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

A masterwork.

Jul 29, 2020

Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Woodard, unshowy and preternaturally still, offers us a stubborn professional being steadily eaten up by her involvement with the glacially slow killing-machine.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 20, 2020

Full Review

Dave Giannini

InSession Film

Chukwu and Woodard together certainly do not tell an easily digestible story, but they do tell an absolutely necessary story of our humanity, pressed to its limits.

Rated: B+

Feb 20, 2024

Full Review

Greg Carlson

Vague Visages

Chukwu avoids any overt didacticism in her storytelling, even if the mounting pressure on the beleaguered protagonist is delivered with quiet resolve and suffocating dread.

Sep 23, 2023

Full Review

Dallas King

Outtake Mag

Alfre Woodard stuns in the harrowing and affecting death row drama... her performance is a masterclass in quietly conveying the slow, steady grounding down of Bernadine’s humanity.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 12, 2022

Full Review

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Angela

I thought it was different and engaging. It was interesting to watch a movie depicted from the viewpoint of the Prison Warden.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/03/20

Full Review

Stephanie W

Powerful. Simply heart-wrenching! The tears will flow watching this film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/02/20

Full Review

MARIA AMELIA A

Very good movie about death penalty. A little bit slow

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/12/20

Full Review

John W

Compelling story from two distinct perspectives.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/20

Full Review

Robert

Worth waiting the entire film to see her performance in the next-to-last scene

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/20

Full Review

Matt B

Alfre Woodard is phenomenal. Movie is slow but not boring. Really depressing, but worth eventually catching up with

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/20

Full Review

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Chinonye Chukwu

Director

Alfre Woodard

Warden Bernadine Williams

Aldis Hodge

Anthony Woods

Richard Schiff

Marty Lumetta

Wendell Pierce

Jonathan Williams

Richard Gunn

Deputy Warden Thomas Morgan

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Clemency: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Years of carrying out death row executions are taking a toll on Warden Bernadine Williams. As she prepares for another one, Williams must confront the psychological and emotional demons that her job creates.

Director: Chinonye Chukwu
Producer: Bronwyn Cornelius, Julian Cautherley, Timur Bekbosunov, Peter Wong
Screenwriter: Chinonye Chukwu
Distributor: Neon
Production Co: Ace Pictures, Big Indie Pictures
Rating: R (Some Disturbing Material|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 27, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 27, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $361.7K
Runtime: 1h 53m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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