morrison-dylan-fan A few days before she went on a half term holiday with her family,I asked a friend about what she has recently seen on Netflix. Being a fan of true crime,she told me about a doc on Netflix that I've not heard of before,which led to me finding out how unlucky 13 could be.The outline of the doc:Faced being charged with attempted murder of a cop,19 year old drug addict Nick Yarris decides to make up a story about knowing someone related to the rape and murder of Linda May Craig,a case that Yarris read about whilst waiting to be interviewed by the police. Believing the person he named to be dead,Yarris finds out that he is actually alive,which leads to the police treating Yarris as the main suspect,that would result in him spending 20 years on death row.View on the film:Just filming Yarris sitting in a chair talking about his life for 90 minutes, director David Sington underlines some of the most devastating moments in Yarris's life with a clever use of sound effects of gunshots and shower water that firmly puts the viewer in Yarris's shoes,along with tastefully done minimalism "re-enactments" over Yarris voice,offering a small, blurred glimpse to some of the things Yarris has seen. Staying in the background, composer Philip Sheppard delivers a warm ambient score.Whilst never becoming the focus of attention, Sheppard's score does give the title a subtle background noise to Yarris's monologue. Being the lone voice in the film, Nick Yarris is an incredibly captivating speaker,with Yarris's hand/body motion fully pulling the viewer into the events of his life. Wrongly locked in death row for 20 years, (a large part in solitary confinement,during which he read over 1000 books) Yarris displays in his stark delivery a skill of someone who is well-read that knows what details to give to the listener/viewer,with Yarris and Sington being extremely respectful to Linda May Craig (whose murder has not been solved) and her family.

Hydemine The first thing that struck me about this film was Mr Yarris's incredible story telling ability. It is non-fiction but I immediately had to IMDb it to check because I was sure he was an actor. His talent with words and elegance with delivery grows throughout the film. This, coupled with skillfully placed flash back scenes, completely immerse you into the story. Yarris's life could easily be argued as one of the most tragic ever to be lived. For a film which is essentially a 90 minute interview, I was completely blown away by how much it entertained me and moved me. A dark horse of quality film and story telling. Added to my repeat watch list and recommended to everyone I know.

davideo-2 STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning In 2002, Nick Yarris, a death row prisoner since 1985, wrote to the authorities, eager to move his execution date forward, not relishing the prospect of going through another appeal, before some startling new evidence came to light and quashed his conviction after many years. Speaking directly to the camera, he narrates the tale of the build up to his arrest, the circumstances surrounding his life at the time, his experiences in prison and some traumatic events from his past that further shaped his mind.There can't be much more interesting sights to witness than that of a man with nothing to lose. A man who can reveal his innermost desires, thoughts and feelings without any sense of trepidation, given he's already building up to the final moment when it will all be gone. From our first moment with him, Nick Yarris strikes us as a guy with words just flying off the tip of his tongue, but with a surprising degree of eloquence and articulation (having taken up reading old books during his lonely hours on death row) in how he conveys them. And, in a short time frame, director David Sington draws out plenty of backstory from him.Yarris was hardly a model citizen before his incarceration, and if you consider we don't even learn of his innocence until the end, it's even harder to illicit sympathy with someone who still describes a life with little respect for the law and individual liberty. But nonetheless, he still spins quite a gripping yarn, and Sington further enhances the experience with the use of the camera, slowly hovering over seemingly mundane objects, and capturing the eerie silence of the empty prison with great clarity.It takes a deeply unappealing individual, and somehow manages to illuminate him as a human being, and enthral you in his woes and wherefores. A stirring and emotional tale that shines light from the darkest place. ****

Conrad Johnson Really awesome doc here, me and a friend watched this the other night and I was blown away. The narration and structure are phenomenal in this piece, a very close to heart tale and the context in which it all unravels is remarkable none the less. I'm so glad I watched this doc, which I wouldn't have expected could be so personally inspiring and motivating regarding how much knowledge is really garnered from reading. I mean, of course, I know reading is important and I do my share of knowledgeable reading each day. But, I'm simply referring to those that really read as a fun activity and not just because you have to read for the moment. I'd be lying to say I'm not guilty of that sometimes, but after viewing this doc, I'm extremely inspired to do way more. I understand my review is not as detailed, or as intricate, regarding the context of the overall film. However, I wanted to reflect and share on the personal inspiration I was able to take from it.