To start off, the completely captivating performances of Robin Wright and James McAvoy have to be mentioned. Wright as Mary Surratt is exquisite in portraying an unswerving, loving mother to her children and devoted Catholic accussed of conspiring to kill the president Abraham Lincoln, the Secretary of State and the Vice President. Surratt owns a boarding house where those thought to be responsible for Lincoln's murder frequently resided. McAvoy is, as always, completely engaging and rich as Frederik Aiken, a young war hero and lawyer who must reluctantly defend Surratt's case. Surratt is fiercely loyal to her son and will not inform the authorities of his whereabouts (he is among the men that are thought to be involved with the assassination) and through this stubborness, Aiken continues to doubt her innocence, in fact he is certain she is guilty. Though we don't see a great deal of the pair alone together, talking through the events that lead to Lincoln's death, it is through subtle suggestion in the courtroom and Aiken's behaviour and dedication to the case that we see his belief in her and their relationship grow.
The American government are looking to seek revenge for Lincoln's assassination and to show the American citizens they have swiflty dealt with, and given the death penalty to those responsible. Through this, they have made the case as difficult as possible for Aiken to win by conducting the trial in a military court, bribing witnesses and changing rules. Aiken is driven by his need for this trial to be a fair one.
Other performances worth mentioning are those of Kevin Kline as the secretary of war Edward Stanton, Evan Rachel Wood as Surratt's daughter Anna and Danny Huston as the prosecuting attorney Joseph Holt.
The Conspirator may be lengthy and, at times, slow but the performances on display make it a film certainly worth watching. McAvoy as a young man trying to overcome and look beyond his own pre-formed predjudices and Wright as a stoic, loyal mother are both perfect examples of the way great acting should be.
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