Woodard plays Bernadine Williams, a prison warden overseeing the execution of convicts in her care. After one state-sanctioned killing is horribly botched, Bernadine begins a downward spiral. Her doubts about the system only increase as she prepares the next condemned prisoner, an inmate named Anthony Woods (Aldis Hodge) who maintains his innocence fifteen years after his sentencing. Simultaneously, Bernadine’s marriage to teacher Jonathan (Wendell Pierce) is on the rocks and her drinking is bordering on alcoholism.

It is indicative that in a film full of fantastic performances Woodard’s stands out as devastatingly powerful. Clemency is an engaging, nuanced and hauntingly effective drama that will live long in the memory.

“Alfre Woodard quietly dazzles in this superb death row drama…[a] remarkable film.” – Mark Kermode