Despite the considerable contrivances involved in this saga, A Second Chance is, for much of its length, quite gripping, even though in the wash-up it's not convincing on any level.

The way the twists occur tends to undermine what could be a more interesting, resonant story about the darker aspects of family, parenthood, grief and power.

Unfortunately, the rest of the film, apart from the cast, has precious few redeeming features.

A Second Chance manages to pose a shocking moral quandary without falling into an academic exercise.