MANNERS OF DYING (Jeremy Peter Allen). 110 minutes. Opens Friday (October 28). For venues and times, see Movie Listings. Rating: NNN
Rating: NNN
How death-row prisoner Kevin Barlow ( Roy Dupuis ) will face his execution is anyone’s guess. Mannered executioner Harry Parlington ( Serge Houde ) imagines eight possible scenarios, in which Barlow cries, then fights, begs, rages, repents and so on. A brilliant concept and outstanding performance by Dupuis can’t rescue director Jeremy Peter Allen ‘s debut feature, Manners Of Dying . It sacrifices pertinent character motivation and story drive and relies too heavily on piercing prison sounds and inert execution rituals, making it more TV than cinema.