Strong ‘Conviction’

Based on Betty Ann Waters’ true story of familial sacrifice and faithfulness, underrated director Tony Goldwin brought Oscar-winner Hilary Swank another knockout role last fall with the true-life legal drama Conviction, new in stores this week. Believing her brother, played by Sam Rockwell, has been wrongly convicted of murder, Swank’s character puts herself through law school and begins investigating the crime on her own in order to prove his innocence. After 12 years of study and detective work, she gets the chance to overturn her brother’s conviction by introducing new DNA evidence in an appeal and finally free him from a sentence he never deserved. Minnie Driver and Melissa Leo co-star. Rated PG-13.