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In this 1996 thriller, a mother takes justice into her own hands after the legal system fails to convict the man who murdered her daughter. What is the title of this film starring Sally Field?

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Eye for an Eye - movies illustration
Eye for an Eye — movies

The 1996 thriller described, where a mother seeks personal vengeance after the legal system fails to convict her daughter's murderer, is indeed "Eye for an Eye (Review)." Starring Sally Field as Karen McCann, the film depicts her harrowing experience of hearing her teenage daughter's assault and murder over the phone while stuck in traffic. The horror intensifies when the killer, Robert Doob, played by Kiefer Sutherland, is released due to a legal technicality involving mishandled DNA evidence.

Driven by grief and a profound sense of injustice, Karen becomes obsessed with seeking retribution. She takes matters into her own hands, ultimately plotting to kill Doob herself after the police are unable to help further and Doob begins to menace her younger daughter. Directed by Oscar-winner John Schlesinger, the film also features Ed Harris as Karen's husband, Mack, and Joe Mantegna as a sympathetic detective.

While "Eye for an Eye" resonated with audiences for its exploration of a parent's worst nightmare and the frustrations with the justice system, it received largely negative reviews from critics. Many critics, including Roger Ebert, found it to be manipulative and exploitative, arguing that it avoided a thoughtful discussion of its ethical dilemmas in favor of a simplistic revenge plot. Despite the critical reception, the film offers a dramatic look at the raw emotions of loss and the boundaries people might cross when pushed to their limits.