| “…And
Justice for All” couldn’t be a more sarcastic
title, perfectly condemning the atrocities and lack
of justice portrayed in this thrillingly brilliant courtroom
drama. With phenomenal dialogue and character development
that recent films somehow forget to include, and with
an Academy Award nominated performance by the wondrous
Al Pacino, “…And Justice for All”
is a must-see film, eloquently released on DVD to outshine
it’s most recent emulator, Michael Clayton.
Known for his high regards for truth and real justice,
Baltimore lawyer Arthur Kirkland (Al Pacino) is called
upon to defend Judge Fleming (John Forsythe) in a lawsuit.
The catch is that Kirkland despises the judge, who has
an unusually malicious love of statutes that frequently
harm Arthur’s clients. In a political maneuver
to dissuade the idea that hidden deals and negotiations
might take place to clear Fleming, Kirkland is blackmailed
into defending him in the case of brutally attacking
and raping a young woman. To add even more flames to
the fire, Arthur openly oppugns the Judge’s honesty
and is certain that he is guilty; his partner Jay Porter
(Jeffrey Tambor) is rapidly going insane; and Arthur’s
clients are succumbing to tragic fates during wrongful
imprisonment.
From the jazzy and upbeat intro music (gaily carried
on throughout much of the film) to the final sarcastic
scene on the steps of the courthouse, “…And
Justice for All” makes no mistakes cynically battering
and brutalizing the legal system. Corruption runs rampant
amongst the colorful characters frequenting the courts,
and the last thing anyone actually receives is justice.
Judges shoot guns to gather order in the courtroom,
committees investigate all the wrong lawyers, and deals
are struck and traded like the stock market. But beyond
simply mocking right and wrong and whether they have
anything to do with determining innocence and guilt,
the film beautifully builds up characters that are strikingly
vivid and memorable.
Pacino flawlessly portrays Kirkland, a skilled lawyer
who struggles with his senile grandfather, staying on
the good side of the suicidal Judge Rayford (Jack Warden),
maintaining a relationship with his girlfriend who sits
on a committee that unsuccessfully investigates corruption,
and providing unintentionally false hopes to his clients
that rot in prison. He remains the underdog throughout
the film, being stepped on by Fleming, falling victim
to unfortunate timing, and even being shorter than his
combative girlfriend. Even our first impression of Arthur
is witnessing him in a jail cell after being held in
contempt of court for assaulting a judge; these devices
allow the contrastingly thrilling climax to be even
more powerful and poignant. “Being honest doesn’t
have much to do with being a lawyer,” Arthur remarks
during a discussion with his grandfather.
One of the things “…And Justice for All”
does better than most is to engage the audience with
hilarious, rapier-witted dialogue and plenty of deep
emotions and events that intermingle within the plot.
While the major storyline is not entirely complex, the
many subplots that weave in and out and support the
main theme give the film a feeling of fullness –
not a moment is wasted (despite scenes that don’t
push the story forward) and the pacing is precise. As
the plot thickens, we become immersed in the tragic
and absorbing tale of a man seeking truths and justice
in a world overrun with corruption and lies. It’s
as thrilling as a ride in a helicopter with insufficient
fuel – and when you watch this Norman Jewison
masterpiece, you’ll know what I mean.
- Mike Massie
|
