Trial by Fire (2019)

Based on the true story of Todd Willingham, a young father with a checkered past found guilty and put on death row for the killing of his three children in a fire. Though he works hard in prison to learn what he can about the law and appeal his verdict, it's only once author Elizabeth takes an interest that any progress is made.

It's got a lot going for it: the case is interesting, the weaknesses of the justice system are on full display, and the two leads do a good enough job that I was rooting for success, but it all felt a bit too basic. I want to be angry about the cruelty of the justice system: lawyers who give less than their all, investigators using junk science, people who are willing to lie (plus the officials who solicit those lies), and the zookeeper-mentality of prison guards all deserve reform. But this felt more like a book report about the case than an exposé.

C+