Witness Protection (1999)
“Witness Protection” is a 1999 American crime drama television film directed by Richard Pearce. It stars Tom Sizemore, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Forest Whitaker, Shawn Hatosy, and Skye McCole Bartusiak. The teleplay for the film was written by Daniel Therriault and is based on a 1996 New York Times Magazine article titled “The Invisible Family” by Robert Sabbag. The film was broadcast by HBO on December 11, 1999.
The film follows the story of Bobby “Bats” Batton, a career criminal from South Boston. Facing execution by his partner in crime, Theo Cruise, a Charlestown mobster, Bobby is offered a deal by the FBI. In exchange for testifying against Cruise, Bobby and his family will be granted immunity from prosecution and placed in the Federal Witness Protection Program. The film explores the challenges and struggles faced by Bobby and his family as they assume new identities and adapt to their new reality.
