La verità negata

If you were to read the plot of Trial by Fire without context you would think it was too bleak to be believable which makes it all the more surprising that it's based on real events! Trial by Fire is the story of Todd Willingham, a man who is incarcerated following the death of his young daughters in a house fire. It is an emotional watch, not only because of the fire itself which happens in the first few minutes of the movie but because we see the aftermath of the event in Willingham's life. This is compounded by some very emotionally rending flashback scenes showing better times. The line between before and after the fire is distinct. In one of the most harrowing moments in the movie, he shouts "My babies!" as his house burns. Jack O'Connell does a great job portraying these scenes.

The latter part of the movie focuses almost entirely on Willingham's time in prison and you really feel the isolation. He struggles to come to terms with his new life and frequently has visions of his eldest daughter. These visions stay with him throughout the movie through his development as a character. Regardless of the viewer's opinion on Willingham, this is difficult to watch.