Keith R
The Don
As a way to provide some sort of diversion while many of us are homebound, I started this tournament to determine which exactly is the best Courtroom Movie.
To qualify, a movie has to spend a certain amount of time in the courtroom (which includes the jury room) and the courtroom scene(s) must be vital to the core of the story. I am lenient on these qualifiers in order to get more diverse style and subject matter, but only to a point. An example of one that did not make the cut despite having two courtroom scenes was one of my personal Top 10 films – GoodFellas. Not a close call - one does not typically think of GoodFellas as a courtroom movie, so it is not included here. Close calls were generally included.
The top 32 movies (in my humble opinion combined with IMDB lists, RT score and public notoriety) qualified. 5 rounds. There shall be a winner. Vote as you feel is appropriate. Let’s begin.
Group A
A Few Good Men - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Few_Good_Men
Runaway Jury - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Jury
Legally Blonde - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legally_Blonde
My Cousin Vinny - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Cousin_Vinny
Amistad - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amistad_(film)
The Firm - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Firm_(1993_film)
The Accused - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Accused_(1988_film)
Erin Brockovich - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Brockovich
Group B
Fracture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracture_(2007_film)
To Kill a Mockingbird - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird_(film)
The People vs Larry Flynt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_People_vs._Larry_Flynt
Philadelphia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_(film)
Reversal of Fortune - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversal_of_Fortune
12 Angry Men - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Angry_Men_(1957_film)
Anatomy of a Murder - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatomy_of_a_Murder
Witness for the Prosecution - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witness_for_the_Prosecution_(1957_film)
Group C
The Devil’s Advocate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil's_Advocate_(1997_film)
Jagged Edge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagged_Edge_(film)
Murder in the First - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_First_(film)
The Rainmaker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rainmaker_(1997_film)
Inherit the Wind - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inherit_the_Wind_(1960_film)
Michael Clayton - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Clayton_(film)
And Justice for All - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...And_Justice_for_All.
Kramer vs Kramer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kramer_vs._Kramer
Group D
JFK - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JFK_(film)
Primal Fear - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primal_Fear_(film)
The Client - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Client_(1994_film)
The Verdict - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Verdict
In the Name of the Father - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Name_of_the_Father_(film)
Liar Liar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liar_Liar
A Civil Action - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_Action_(film)
Presumed Innocent - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presumed_Innocent_(film)
These groups hold only for this round and will be reshuffled for the next round.
Voting ends Wednesday at 5:00 pm ET.
To qualify, a movie has to spend a certain amount of time in the courtroom (which includes the jury room) and the courtroom scene(s) must be vital to the core of the story. I am lenient on these qualifiers in order to get more diverse style and subject matter, but only to a point. An example of one that did not make the cut despite having two courtroom scenes was one of my personal Top 10 films – GoodFellas. Not a close call - one does not typically think of GoodFellas as a courtroom movie, so it is not included here. Close calls were generally included.
The top 32 movies (in my humble opinion combined with IMDB lists, RT score and public notoriety) qualified. 5 rounds. There shall be a winner. Vote as you feel is appropriate. Let’s begin.
Group A
A Few Good Men - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Few_Good_Men
Runaway Jury - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Jury
Legally Blonde - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legally_Blonde
My Cousin Vinny - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Cousin_Vinny
Amistad - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amistad_(film)
The Firm - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Firm_(1993_film)
The Accused - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Accused_(1988_film)
Erin Brockovich - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Brockovich
Group B
Fracture - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracture_(2007_film)
To Kill a Mockingbird - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird_(film)
The People vs Larry Flynt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_People_vs._Larry_Flynt
Philadelphia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_(film)
Reversal of Fortune - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversal_of_Fortune
12 Angry Men - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Angry_Men_(1957_film)
Anatomy of a Murder - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatomy_of_a_Murder
Witness for the Prosecution - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witness_for_the_Prosecution_(1957_film)
Group C
The Devil’s Advocate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil's_Advocate_(1997_film)
Jagged Edge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagged_Edge_(film)
Murder in the First - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_First_(film)
The Rainmaker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rainmaker_(1997_film)
Inherit the Wind - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inherit_the_Wind_(1960_film)
Michael Clayton - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Clayton_(film)
And Justice for All - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...And_Justice_for_All.
Kramer vs Kramer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kramer_vs._Kramer
Group D
JFK - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JFK_(film)
Primal Fear - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primal_Fear_(film)
The Client - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Client_(1994_film)
The Verdict - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Verdict
In the Name of the Father - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Name_of_the_Father_(film)
Liar Liar - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liar_Liar
A Civil Action - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_Action_(film)
Presumed Innocent - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presumed_Innocent_(film)
These groups hold only for this round and will be reshuffled for the next round.
Voting ends Wednesday at 5:00 pm ET.
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