Favorite Movies about the Law and the Legal System
In no particular order of excellence, here is a list of films that have explored the relationship between justice and injustice, resolution and revenge, the nature of judgment and the longing for what is just, and the way in which the machinery of the legal system exacts moral and spiritual consequences and compromises on all those who come before it.
The Verdict
Twelve Angry Men
Daniel
To Kill A Mockingbird
A Few Good Men
The Accused
In the Bedroom
The Devil’s Advocate
Sleepers
The Shawshank Redemption
The Rainmaker
Mystic River
Erin Brockovich
A Civil Action
Changing Lanes
There are many others. Feel free to write about some of these selections, and those that were left off the list.
February 5th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
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More recently, “Munich” and “Paradise Now” both address issues of revenge and justice and the two in tandem give each other context and contrast. The Korean film “Oldboy” was a very creative revenge film, and also spectacularly sadistic to both the characters and the viewers.
Speaking of sadistic, i wonder what are the moral consequences of having both Keanu Reeves and Ben Affleck in a “favorite movies” list?
February 6th, 2006 at 2:49 am
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A Time to Kill is another good one
February 6th, 2006 at 2:50 am
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A Time to Kill is another good one
February 6th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
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Yes, A Time to Kill, indeed, should have been on the list.
February 7th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
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Twelve Angry Men is one of my all-time favorites on this list, because it really delves into how people’s perceptions affect their idea of “justice.” All the jurors start off thinking their opinion is just, but then go through this great process of having their assumptions blown apart.
February 7th, 2006 at 5:04 pm
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It is interesting to note that the tone of a movie can determine whether revenge or justice is the most satisfying result for the viewer.
In the context of justice, I am thinking particularly of a movie I just saw over the weekend, “Match Point.” While the main character commits a completely heinous crime, because of the tone of the movie, the viewer becomes sucked into the character’s mind frame, and is almost rooting for him not to get caught and for justice not to be served. I just find it interesting how a filmmaker can manipulate an audience. It goes to show that we, as humans, struggle with what is the most satisfying result.
February 8th, 2006 at 6:35 am
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An overlooked legal classic is “A Case of Libel”, a solid TV movie of a terrifically entertaining play. It does a great job of highlighting how plaintiffs in a libel suit can find themselves “on trial”.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087037/
February 8th, 2006 at 6:50 am
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While I’m thinking of made-for-television, the Culture Project’s play “The Exonerated”, which was based on interviews with death-row inmates, was made into an HBO film.
And while it’s not a movie at all, a similar “documentary theater” technique was used for “Guantanamo”, which caused a stir in London and New York 2004. It stitched letters from Gitmo detainees and public speeches by judges and politicians into a narrative that was–at least in the London performance I saw–thrilling, infuriating, and unforgettable.
February 9th, 2006 at 3:40 pm
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How about Inherit the Wind?
February 20th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
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Don’t forget about “Jury Duty.”
March 5th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
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In the movie “Mystic River,” the character played by Sean Penn seemed to typify the legal system; the character only cared about the right outcome. Someone killed his daughter; therefore, someone has to pay. End of story. When Sean Penn suspects that Tim Robbins was the killer, he goes after him with a furious vengeance, which resulted in Tim Robbins’ death. Penn, like the legal system, did not care about the circumstances surrounding Tim Robbins’ role (by the way, he didn’t commit the murder). Like Penn’s character, the legal system sees the crime and the not the circumstances of the person who is accused of committing the crime. If the accused’s life circumstances are taken into consideration, it is not until the sentencing stage when it is almost certain the person will go to jail. Considering the tragedy he suffered as a boy, Tim Robbins should have been put in a mental institution, not a jail cell.
March 5th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
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To Kill a Mockingbird shows that judges are a product of the society. If society is already biased to begin with, the judge won’t step up even if he believes in the Defendant.
May 16th, 2006 at 8:54 pm
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Fritz Lang’s Fury. I know it’s late in the game but looking at this movie and juxtaposing it with his earlier german film M would be interesting.