Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

ray_bradley I've practiced law for 30 years. I've never seen any courtroom drama (except for perhaps "To Kill a Mockingbird") that comes anywhere close to this film in terms of brutal authenticity. The gut-wrenching hollowness that sinks into you with the deliberately unsatisfying ending is SO REAL and SO TRUE of a demonstration of how "the system" really functions, as to leave you in tears. The film is a beautifully crafted, unparalleled indictment of the fundamentally screwed-up justice system in this fundamentally screwed-up country. Whitaker is wonderful, and never gives away the truth of his character (whatever that might be). Anthony LaPaglia as the defense attorney is remarkable, as it the script. Rosie Perez's performance is of an intensity that is typical of the actress... she is never insincere, and, whether you're convinced by her obviously contrived sympathetic rantings or not, you WANT to believe her. The film is an un3expected gem with stunning performance all around

CineManic The synopsis/summary and the other two reviews gave the plot and basics of the story. I wanted to add that, as a former Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney, I found this film the most realistic depiction of a criminal case I've ever seen. All of the elements were accurate, including the heavy caseloads of the public defender and assistant D.A., the difficulty of working with witnesses, and the mechanics of trial and pre-trial preparation. I have to disagree with the reviewer (oeoaa) who thought the movie copped out at the end or that it revealed that the accused, Jesse Williams, was the actual rapist. I felt that the ending was still ambiguous regarding the accused's guilt. What it did was show was that, when faced with the actual reality of a trial where a guilty jury verdict would have meant a much harsher sentence, the accused decides to take the lighter plea. This is a very common result. Defendants often wait until the last possible moment to see the strength of the prosecutor's case and whether the complaining witness (i.e. the victim) will show up or prove to be a poor witness.

oeoaa "Criminal Justice" is an outstanding film, well-acted, well-paced, and one of the most disappointing films I've ever seen. You no doubt are aware that this review contains spoilers. How ironic since this film's ending spoiled everything that came before. Rosa Perez plays a hooker who is raped. Forest Whitaker is a street thug accused of the crime. It's unclear throughout who actually raped her. This film is like a documentary-style expose of how prosecutors and public defenders do their jobs. And it's all enlightening and entertaining. This film showed the kind of nuts-n-bolts grunt work pushed aside in other films looking to roll right through its plot. It's more of a behind-the-scenes film. The film would've worked just sticking to that. But then at the end it turns into --no offense intended--a "TV Movie of the Week" or "Lifetime" melodrama. Whitaker's revealed as the rapist in a cheesy courtroom scene with Perez starring him down while he tries to cop a quick plea-- a plea he refused earlier while declaring his innocence. It makes no sense--he was going to see her at the pretrial. Meanwhile, she was being prepared for the witness stand. So, why wait to take the plea at the pretrial? So the film could have some big dramatic moment. It didn't work. and before the credits role, a disclaimer about plea bargaining is shown. The ending didn't provide a twist, it was a cop out, a manipulation, and completely undermined an otherwise good movie.TLD - Chicago

George Parker "Criminal Justice" is a journeyman quasi-docudrama TV flick which takes the viewer step-by-step through the US criminal justice system from crime to punishment. The film breaks down the whole let's-make-a-deal process using a Brooklyn N.Y. robbery/assault case as an example in which the players are Whitaker as the accused; LaPaglia as the public defender; Perez as the victim; and Gray as the Asst. D.A. The film plays no favorites as it takes a didactic and dispassionate look at the problems facing both sides in a case where justice must be dispensed even though no one, including the audience, knows who committed the crime. "Criminal Justice" is an earnest project which is more interesting than entertaining and is worth a look by anyone with an interest in the title subject. (B-)