This is one of those rare hi-impact, makes-you-squirm-while-watching films that cannot be reviewed on its own without commenting on the underlying social issues. So here we go:
THE MOVIE
Directed by Barry Levinson (one of the top directors of the last century) and starring one of the top actors of the last century giving one of the best performances of his career (understated and self-aware, NOT the over-the-top Pacino we have come to expect) ... was there ever any doubt? The only oddity that this reviewer found is that Pacino's agency still uses 40-year-old photos of him in their PR kits, so a novice (think, alien film reviewer from another planet) looking at this film for the first time might spend the length of the film trying to find the lead actor identified in the kit ... and never locate him.
Brilliant, touching, revealing, and horrifying. In other words, a perfect reflection of what passes for intelligent civilization in our world.
THE SOCIAL GESTALT
For the first time, the script makes it clear that the lawyers acting for the state TOOK IT AS A PERSONAL AFFRONT that Dr. K was so forthright about what he had done ... and why ... and MADE IT THEIR PERSONAL MISSION to bring him down ... and USED A TECHNICALITY IN THE LAW (adjusting the indictment to a one narrow charge, a charge which could not be defended by a full look at the surrounding facts, as one might otherwise expect in a capital case).
Which pretty much summarizes how our Justice system works. Forget the theories they teach in law school, forget the statue of the lady with the blindfold over her eyes, when they REALLY WANT TO GET YOU, they are going to get you.
THE MOVIE
Directed by Barry Levinson (one of the top directors of the last century) and starring one of the top actors of the last century giving one of the best performances of his career (understated and self-aware, NOT the over-the-top Pacino we have come to expect) ... was there ever any doubt? The only oddity that this reviewer found is that Pacino's agency still uses 40-year-old photos of him in their PR kits, so a novice (think, alien film reviewer from another planet) looking at this film for the first time might spend the length of the film trying to find the lead actor identified in the kit ... and never locate him.
Brilliant, touching, revealing, and horrifying. In other words, a perfect reflection of what passes for intelligent civilization in our world.
THE SOCIAL GESTALT
For the first time, the script makes it clear that the lawyers acting for the state TOOK IT AS A PERSONAL AFFRONT that Dr. K was so forthright about what he had done ... and why ... and MADE IT THEIR PERSONAL MISSION to bring him down ... and USED A TECHNICALITY IN THE LAW (adjusting the indictment to a one narrow charge, a charge which could not be defended by a full look at the surrounding facts, as one might otherwise expect in a capital case).
Which pretty much summarizes how our Justice system works. Forget the theories they teach in law school, forget the statue of the lady with the blindfold over her eyes, when they REALLY WANT TO GET YOU, they are going to get you.