Recommended Crime and Legal Movies
(Drama and Comedy)
Best Legal Drama
A FEW GOOD MEN
(Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore)
A slick, young Navy lawyer is assigned to investigate a murder case in which two Marines killed a fellow enlisted man, and no one's talking. Great acting, fantastic courtroom drama, and memorable lines: "You can't handle the truth!" A Few Good Men simply can't be beat in the realm of Hollywood legal drama.
(Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore)
A slick, young Navy lawyer is assigned to investigate a murder case in which two Marines killed a fellow enlisted man, and no one's talking. Great acting, fantastic courtroom drama, and memorable lines: "You can't handle the truth!" A Few Good Men simply can't be beat in the realm of Hollywood legal drama.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
(Gregory Peck)
This is the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee translated to the big screen. Gregory Peck won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the courageous but understated hero, Atticus Finch. Atticus takes an unpopular stance in his southern town when he defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white girl. The character of Atticus Finch has inspired generations of lawyers to become criminal defense attorneys. The film also features Academy Award-winning actor Robert Duvall in his big screen debut.
(Gregory Peck)
This is the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee translated to the big screen. Gregory Peck won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the courageous but understated hero, Atticus Finch. Atticus takes an unpopular stance in his southern town when he defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white girl. The character of Atticus Finch has inspired generations of lawyers to become criminal defense attorneys. The film also features Academy Award-winning actor Robert Duvall in his big screen debut.
GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI
(Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, James Woods, directed by Rob Reiner)
Based on a true story, this movie follows the prosecution of known racist Byron De La Beckwith (James Woods) 30 years after he murdered civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Evers' widow (Whoopi Goldberg) never gave up on justice, even if she had given up on the criminal justice system. Alec Baldwin plays the prosecutor who takes on the case, despite personal threats, family discontent, and stale evidence. The film explores the familiar themes of race and crime in the south.
(Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, James Woods, directed by Rob Reiner)
Based on a true story, this movie follows the prosecution of known racist Byron De La Beckwith (James Woods) 30 years after he murdered civil rights leader Medgar Evers. Evers' widow (Whoopi Goldberg) never gave up on justice, even if she had given up on the criminal justice system. Alec Baldwin plays the prosecutor who takes on the case, despite personal threats, family discontent, and stale evidence. The film explores the familiar themes of race and crime in the south.
Best Legal Comedies
MY COUSIN VINNY
(Joe Pesci, Marissa Tomei, Ralph Macchio)
Two college friends (Ralph Macchio and _) drive across country from New York to Los Angeles, taking the scenic southern route. While in a small town in Alabama, they get accused of murder. Ralph Maccio's cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci) recently passed the bar in New York and agrees to represent the boys as his first case. Vinny and his fiance, Mona Lisa Vito (Marissa Tomei, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), learn the ways of small-town southern life while Vinny learns the realities of being a lawyer - often the hard way.
Aside from being hilarious, this movie is one of the best examples of criminal procedure out there. It also provides great examples of the important differences between being a law student and being a lawyer.
(Joe Pesci, Marissa Tomei, Ralph Macchio)
Two college friends (Ralph Macchio and _) drive across country from New York to Los Angeles, taking the scenic southern route. While in a small town in Alabama, they get accused of murder. Ralph Maccio's cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci) recently passed the bar in New York and agrees to represent the boys as his first case. Vinny and his fiance, Mona Lisa Vito (Marissa Tomei, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), learn the ways of small-town southern life while Vinny learns the realities of being a lawyer - often the hard way.
Aside from being hilarious, this movie is one of the best examples of criminal procedure out there. It also provides great examples of the important differences between being a law student and being a lawyer.
LEGALLY BLONDE
(Reese Witherspoon)
Reese Witherspoon plays Elle Woods, "a California sorority girl who'll do anything to keep her man. Even if it means going all the way to law school!" That about sums up this fun law school romp. Elle interns at her criminal law professor's firm, and helps defends one of her idols, a fitness guru accused of killing her husband. Although short on realism in its courtroom antics, this movie is full of good humor and silly fun.
(Reese Witherspoon)
Reese Witherspoon plays Elle Woods, "a California sorority girl who'll do anything to keep her man. Even if it means going all the way to law school!" That about sums up this fun law school romp. Elle interns at her criminal law professor's firm, and helps defends one of her idols, a fitness guru accused of killing her husband. Although short on realism in its courtroom antics, this movie is full of good humor and silly fun.
LIAR LIAR
(Jim Carrey)
Although it's not a criminal law movie, I had to include Liar Liar. Any movie that makes this much fun of lawyers is tops in my book. And it's one of Jim Carrey's funniest movies, in my opinion.
Best Crime Movies
(For crimes and criminals that never make it into the courtroom)
THE DEPARTED
(Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen)
This film won the Acadamy Award for Best Picture in 2006, and is an excellent example of undercover operations. An Irish Mob boss plants an informant in the Massachusettes State Police, and the police send an undercover agent to infltrate the Mob. Each of them try to discover the other's identity before his cover is blown. This intense crime drama was directed by Martin Scorsese.
(Leonardo Dicaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen)
This film won the Acadamy Award for Best Picture in 2006, and is an excellent example of undercover operations. An Irish Mob boss plants an informant in the Massachusettes State Police, and the police send an undercover agent to infltrate the Mob. Each of them try to discover the other's identity before his cover is blown. This intense crime drama was directed by Martin Scorsese.
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
(Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins)
Another great movie based on an equally great book, The Silence of the Lambs is one of my all-time favorite movies. An FBI trainee gains the trust of a brilliant institutionalized serial killer to help the FBI catch another active serial killer. Directed by Jonathan Demme, this was only the third movie in history to win Academy Awards in all five major categories - best picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay.
(Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins)
Another great movie based on an equally great book, The Silence of the Lambs is one of my all-time favorite movies. An FBI trainee gains the trust of a brilliant institutionalized serial killer to help the FBI catch another active serial killer. Directed by Jonathan Demme, this was only the third movie in history to win Academy Awards in all five major categories - best picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay.
OCEAN'S ELEVEN
(George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts)
Danny Ocean (George Clooney), fresh from prison, devises a way to commit a crime that has never been succesfully completed before: rob a Las Vegas casino. The complex criminal scheme involves eleven people with various criminal specialties and roles. Full of humor and fun, this is the kind of crime movie that has you cheering for the bad guys. (Check out my article about how this movie is an example of focusing solely on the crime stage of the criminal justice system.)
(George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts)
Danny Ocean (George Clooney), fresh from prison, devises a way to commit a crime that has never been succesfully completed before: rob a Las Vegas casino. The complex criminal scheme involves eleven people with various criminal specialties and roles. Full of humor and fun, this is the kind of crime movie that has you cheering for the bad guys. (Check out my article about how this movie is an example of focusing solely on the crime stage of the criminal justice system.)
THE GODFATHER (PARTS I, II, and III)
(Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Nero)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, these films chronicle the Corleone Mob family. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II both won Academy Awards for Best Picture.
(Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Nero)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, these films chronicle the Corleone Mob family. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II both won Academy Awards for Best Picture.