5 Things You Need To Know About ‘Rectify’
By Sundi Rose
Photo: SundanceTV
2. You Won’t Always Like These Characters, But You Will Love Them
More than anything, Rectify is about Daniel and his family. After 19 years in prison, he comes home to a life that he doesn’t recognize. His father has died, and his mother remarried a man with a small boy only a little younger than Daniel himself, and he has a half brother that he doesn’t know at all. They learned to live without him, so his sudden presence has brought out the best and worst in his loved ones.
His sister, Amantha (yes, that’s with a ‘th’) fought for Daniel’s innocence for his entire prison stay. In some ways, she sacrificed her life as well, and now that Daniel is home, she’s having to learn how to live on her own. Amantha is often grating and pushy, but most of the time she’s weary and long-suffering. She simultaneously makes you want to shake her, hug her neck, and slap her – no small feat for an actress (Abigail Spencer, also from Timeless, and Suits.)
Clayne Crawford (Lethal Weapon) plays the indignant, injured stepbrother, Teddy. He doesn’t have a mother of his own, so Janet, Daniel’s mother is all he’s got. Teddy is an emotional cripple, but it’s hard not to find him sympathetic. Daniel’s return has edged him out in every family dynamic, including his marriage.