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'A Time to Kill' With Bill Simmons and Wesley Morris

July 11, 2023 · A Time to Kill (1996) · Crime · Drama · Thriller · 1:42:19 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 18:42Sandra Bullock is the hottest she's ever been in a movie - she looks great and is throwing 100 miles an hour in this film
Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:54His two favorite McConaughey performances ever both came before McConaughey was famous — Dazed and Confused and this (parallel to Ed Norton in Primal Fear the same year); and despite knocking this out of the park, McConaughey's next ten years never paid it off (Ed TV within three years, then rom-coms; also drops 'Contact's bad... it's a bad movie'), partly because he was competing with Damon, Affleck, DiCaprio, Pitt, Wahlberg, and Keanu at the apex era for young leading men.
Wesley Morris▶ 18:50Agrees about Sandra Bullock and emphasizes how 'fleshy' and attractive everyone looks, particularly praising both Sandra Bullock at peak sexiness and Ashley Judd throwing in the high 90s
Wesley Morris▶ 1:03:56McConaughey just wasn't hungry — his hungers were someplace else; an athlete-type like Vince Carter or Gael Monfils, content without chasing finals-MVP greatness, simultaneously embarrassed by what fame entails; his default nature is being stoned, wanting to be naked, hanging out — a fixture-kook in Austin (recommends his memoir Greenlights).

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 43:13McConaughey's final summation speech
Wesley Morris▶ 43:29Samuel L. Jackson and Matthew McConaughey's scene in the jail cell where Jackson gives his speech about white hands and Jake being his secret weapon

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 52:04Barbecue at the end
Wesley Morris▶ 52:09The crawdads - the giant bowl of untouched crawdads

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 52:18The courtroom - specifically praising the two deck courtroom design
Wesley Morris▶ 52:31Acknowledges the courtroom looks good but raises concerns about the historical implications of the two-tier design in the South

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 58:08Roark's character/storyline - her pointless arc of coming to town, working the case, affair with married man, getting tied to tree and left to die, then appearing bruised in hospital
Wesley Morris▶ 59:14Agrees with Roark critique, suggests scenes were likely cut due to audience testing because she was seen as a home wrecker

Is There a Better Title?

Wesley Morris▶ 59:37Should have been named after the town, because the movie is really about what life was like in this town where everyone knows everyone

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:51Yes, they deserve to die and I hope they burn in hell (agrees it's tough to top)
Wesley Morris▶ 1:00:38Yes, they deserve to die and I hope they burn in hell

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:27Val Kilmer — Discusses Val Kilmer being offered the lead (declined), thinks too much Kilmer history would hurt the film vs McConaughey's fresh presence. Notes Kevin Costner considered for Jake but wanted control, and Bruce Dern originally chosen for Judge Noose
Wesley Morris▶ 1:09:38Val Kilmer — Could see Val Kilmer in the role and thinks he would have been good, but suggests Kilmer may have had good taste in declining. Notes Paul Newman's declining showed good taste due to distasteful message. Mentions Woody Harrelson wanted Jake role but Grisham vetoed it

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:48Anthony Heald — Lists multiple candidates: John Deal, Anthony Heald, Joe Seneca from The Verdict, Patrick McGuhan, and Latanya Richardson (Sam Jackson's wife)

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:53Donald Sutherland
Wesley Morris▶ 1:11:59Kiefer Sutherland

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:37Matthew McConaughey auditioned for Freddie Lee Cobb but lobbied for Jake; movie plot from Grisham witnessing 1984 rape victim testimony; Sutherland wanted Lucien more drunk but Schumacher vetoed; McConaughey and Nicky Cat both in Dazed and Confused
Wesley Morris▶ 1:14:27Discussed why Hollywood stopped adapting John Grisham books despite there being 30 of them available

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:24Matthew McConaughey — McConaughey: Dallas Buyers Club Oscar win leading into True Detective era (Magic Mike, Wolf of Wall Street period); Sam Jackson: Jackie Brown (1997); Grisham: 1993-1997 period; Sandra Bullock: Not yet, will be The Blind Side Oscar win
Wesley Morris▶ 1:15:35Matthew McConaughey — McConaughey: Agrees with Dallas Buyers Club/True Detective era; Sam Jackson: Agrees with Jackie Brown; Grisham: Agrees with 1993-1997 period; Sandra Bullock: The Blind Side Oscar win

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:25:38Picky Nits
Wesley Morris▶ 1:25:39Judge Noose

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:09Jake drunk driving - if he got arrested for DUI it would have thrown him in jail for years and fucked up the case
Wesley Morris▶ 1:33:41Ashley Judd's lack of reaction to their house being blown up - she just shows up in his office like a dream with no scene of her demanding answers about what happened or why they're now homeless

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:56Wayne Jenkins
Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:59Danny Trejo
Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:59Kathryn Hahn — Catherine Han
Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:00Steve Buscemi
Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:01Samuel L. Jackson — Sam Jackson
Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:01J.T. Walsh — JT Walsh
Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:02Philip Baker Hall
Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:08J.T. Walsh — Believes JT Walsh should have been in the movie, possibly as Judge News if they wanted a younger actor.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:36:16Neil's dad in Dead Poets Society is most loathsome Kurtwood Smith character
Wesley Morris▶ 1:35:36Kiefer Sutherland is better as anti-hero; Neil's dad is worse than KKK head; but Kurtwood Smith in Robocop is least favorite performance

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:12Samuel L. Jackson — Initially suggests McConaughey, then considers Sam Jackson for Best Supporting Actor
Wesley Morris▶ 1:37:20Samuel L. Jackson — Sam Jackson for Best Supporting Actor

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:45To Kill a Mockingbird — To Kill a Mockingbird (agreed with another host's suggestion)
Wesley Morris▶ 1:37:41To Kill a Mockingbird — Considered Green Book and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, but settled on To Kill a Mockingbird

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:38:14White people
Wesley Morris▶ 1:39:09The best way to beat racism is to use racism to your advantage - a wild and depressing lesson

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:40:13Matthew McConaughey
Wesley Morris▶ 1:40:15Matthew McConaughey — Matthew McConaughey (agrees and emphasizes he came from nowhere)

Movies Referenced (50)

Double Jeopardy (1999)

8 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons▶ 19:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Primal Fear (1996)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris▶ 2:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Contact (1997)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pulp Fiction (1994)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris▶ 8:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sleepers (1996)

4 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons▶ 5:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Firm (1993)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 2:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dazed and Confused (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris▶ 12:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris▶ 8:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Speed (1994)

3 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons▶ 17:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wall Street (1987)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris▶ 12:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

3 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 17:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chef (2014)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 47:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (6)

Joel Schumacher

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for The Phantom of the Opera, Batman & Robin, 8MM▶ 6:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 1:03:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ezra Edelman

2 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for O.J.: Made in America▶ 4:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 1:10:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dante Briggins

1 mentions · Wesley Morris · Known for Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens▶ 45:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jacob Hair

1 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 1:07:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (70)

Matthew McConaughey

72 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club, Magic Mike▶ 2:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sandra Bullock

31 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, Speed▶ 2:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ashley Judd

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Double Jeopardy, Bug, Kiss the Girls▶ 8:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Julia Roberts

12 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for Pretty Woman, My Best Friend's Wedding▶ 14:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kiefer Sutherland

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Phone Booth▶ 8:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Donald Sutherland

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Klute▶ 9:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Spacey

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for L.A. Confidential, The Usual Suspects, American Beauty▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brenda Fricker

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for My Left Foot, A Time to Kill, So I Married an Axe Murderer▶ 9:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oliver Platt

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for 2012, Bicentennial Man▶ 9:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Cooper

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Adaptation., American Beauty▶ 9:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Top Gun, Mission: Impossible II, Minority Report▶ 9:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Newman

6 mentions · Wesley Morris, Bill Simmons · Known for The Hustler, Road to Perdition, The Verdict▶ 11:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (7)

John Grisham

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for Runaway Jury, The Rainmaker, A Time to Kill▶ 3:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris▶ 6:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Akiva Goldsman

4 mentions · Wesley Morris · Known for A Beautiful Mind, Batman & Robin▶ 25:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Doug Hutchinson

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 38:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aaron Sorkin

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Wesley Morris · Known for A Few Good Men, The Trial of the Chicago 7▶ 5:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ryan Murphy

1 mentions · Wesley Morris▶ 4:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ted Jessup

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ted 2, The Girlfriend Experience▶ 1:35:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Wesley Morris · Known for The Taking of Pelham 123, The Other Guys▶ 1:17:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗