Well, I'm not sure why Midnight in the Garden received mixed reviews; I rather enjoyed it.

This story about a reporter who witnesses a crime-in-the-making is the tale not of a crime but instead the biography of two 'people.' The first is the reporter himself, John Kelso (Cusack) who has to come to terms with his complicit role in the crime, and the second is the biography of Savannah herself. In the autobiographical book by John Berendt that the movie is adapted from, the pages ooze of love (for the city) and confession (for his role in the crime), and Eastwood does a fairly good job translating both to the screen.

Kelso shows up in town to cover the most famous Christmas party in Savannah for Town&Country magazine and ends up privy to the dealings between the host of the party, Jim Williams (Spacey) and a young hustler who works in his antiques restoration shop, Billy (Law). Eastwood spends the majority of the movie's running time dwelling on the twists in the case and trying to squeeze in the atmosphere of Savannah intermittedly. I wish he had spent more time dwelling on Kelso's love-affair with the city, but this may be because I myself long to visit. The camera spends a fair amount of time drifting through the luxurious Mercer House that belongs to Williams, but less time swinging through the streets and licking up bar interiors. What glimpses one does get certainly leave one with the 'taste of more' on the tongue...perhaps too much.

The crime works out well, and certainly sticks to the main turn in the book. Cusack does a good job of representing a man who only realizes a bit too late that he has been complicit in a crime, and that he is not going to come forward with what he knows. He is very convincing as a man who is drawn in over his head and feels guilt afterwards. This is, in fact, one of the main points of Berendt's book. The reporter only published his decade-long experience with Savannah after the unexpectedly early death of the wealthy defendant. It is his coming clean, but only when there are no longer any repercussions of consequence and Berendt knows it.

Cusack was actually the perfect casting for this role because he always comes across as a bit of a schlemiel in his movies. Someone who has things happen to him, rather than the reverse, and who remains empathetic to audiences even when committing crimes (Grosse Point) because his personality comes across as one of accidental roles in life. Spacey was also fantastic as Williams, and lets not forget Lady Chabliss played herself! She was fantastic. Even my mom and dad were on the floor laughing during her scenes.

Hall was underused as Minerva in this movie, and they make her a little too comedic. But overall she doesn't come across as ridiculous or superfluous. This is important because Minerva's 'knowledge' of all the truths of the case--which she cloaks in spiritual language--is an important part of Berendt's growing awareness of the crime in the book and movie alike.

I thought the pacing was decent and the suspense was good. About the only problem I had with the movie was the introduction of Mandy as a love interest. This is likely because I have read the book, and there was no love interest in it. The love was with the city, and she was who Berendt's affair was with. For those who haven't read the book, this deviation in plot will probably not bother you, because Eastwood tones it down for the most part.

Its a good movie that is lacking slightly in the cinematography department (I know, rare for Eastwood), and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a 'lazy' drama with a bit of intrigue.