Criminal Law( 1989)

TV-MADramaThrillerRomance

55%

User
Score

Overview

A rising young attorney successfully defends a man accused of murder, only to have the same type of murder then happen again. Right away the previously defended man hires the attorney again, and although the attorney is quite certain that he is the killer, he agrees to again defend him... much to the consternation of his friends. However, he explains that by being his attorney he will be better able to catch the man in a mistake... and on this the rest of the film develops, with the killer playing a cat and mouse game with the attorney until, at last, they both must recognize that they are not all that different.

Top Billed Cast

Gary Oldman
Ben Chase
Kevin Bacon
Martin Thiel
Tess Harper
Detective Stillwell
Karen Young
Ellen Faulkner
Joe Don Baker
Detective Mesel
Sean McCann
Jacob Fischer
Ron Lea
Gary Hull
Michael Sinelnikoff
Professor Clemens
Karen Woolridge
Claudia Curwen
Ali Giron
Isabel Fuertes
Rob Roy
Ethan Parks
Terrence Labrosse
Judge
Barbara Jones
Sandra Massina
Jeannie Walker
Mrs. Monroe
Tyrone Benskin
Jackson
Johnny Cuthbert
Hal Keeler
Claire Rodger
Thiel Nurse
Rebecca Hall
Grade Teacher
Tracy Ray
Janet
Bill Haughland
Newscaster
Howard Schwartz
Newscaster
Mitzumi Takahashi
Newscaster
Carolyn Davine
Law Secretary
Ilana Linden
Frowning Woman
Andrew Johnston
Cop Tony
Anna MacCormack
Clinic Receptionist
Irene Kessler
Librarian Peggy
James Rae
Reporter
David Gow
Reporter
Susan Glover
Reporter
Richard Jutras
Reporter
Aidan Devine
Reporter
Robert Parson
Reporter
Sam Le Marquand
Reporter
Lois Dellar
Reporter
Linda Rona
Reporter
Mike Bucci
Reporter
Elizabeth Shepherd
Dr. Thiel

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Review 1Discussion

A review by John Chard

Written by John Chard on Sun Nov 12 2017

Boston based neo-noir fails to ignite. Criminal Law is directed by Martin Campbell and written by Mark Kasdan. It stars Gary Oldman, Kevin Bacon, Tess Harper, Karen Young and Joe Don Baker. Music is by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Philip Meheux. Boston attorney Ben Chase (Oldman) successfully defends Martin Thiel (Bacon) who is on trial for a sexually aggravated murder. But not long after Chase comes to realise Thiel's guilt and sets about correcting the wrong he helped orchestrate. If you have never seen a legal thriller before, or a serial killer based neo-noir for that matt...