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FIND ME GUILTY
Directed by: Sidney Lumet.
Produced by: Bob DeBrino, Robert Greenhut, T.J. Mancini, Bob Yari & George Zakk.
Written by: Sidney Lumet, T.J. Mancini & Robert J. McCrea.
Director of Photography: Ron Fortunato.
Edited by: Tom Swartwout.
Released by: Yari Film Group.
Country of Origin: USA. 124 min. Rated: R.
With: Vin Diesel, Peter Dinklage, Raúl Esparza, Linus Roache, Alex Rocco, Annabella Sciorra & Ron Silver.

Director Sidney Lumet returns to the courtroom, basing his new film on the 1987-‘88 federal trial of the Lucchese crime family, which lasted a record 21 months. Defendant Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio decides not to collaborate with the government, which would have reduced his previous 30-year prison sentence, but to represent himself instead though he has no legal experience or background. DiNorscio, played by a surprisingly effective Vin Diesel, had run the family's drug operations. The courtroom becomes his stage to display his singular attitude. The New Jersey accent, hand gesturing, his heartfelt outbursts, and the street talk that are not usually observed in a courtroom earn him reprimands from the judge, but endear him to both the jurors and the audience.

The villain is actually the chief prosecutor (Linus Roache), a tense, arrogant man who early on establishes his lack of values by getting violent with DiNorscio. Yet it is he who at one point articulates what I kept thinking as I saw scene after scene of prosecution witnesses being portrayed as stupid and treacherous, defense lawyers as smart and personally concerned with their clients, and defendants united against the mean bad government: what is wrong with the jurors, laughing and liking these people who are most likely criminals and even murderers? The answer is that in a trial, the lawyer's objective is to persuade, in any way, that his client is innocent, whether he is or not, and it is up to the jurors to either think for themselves or to be swayed. Apparently, this is the film's goal, too. There is almost no mention of the many serious crimes they surely committed. There are no families of victims or the corruption and violence mob activities generate. The film is only about some true events, not all.

Surely it would have been relevant to highlight the accusations against the mob boss or other higher-ranked members, instead of the lesser crimes of DiNorscio; or to mention not just that the defendants had wives, kids, and health problems, but that they could also be ruthless criminals, if not merciless killers.

The pace flows easily, and there is plenty of tension and humor. The acting is very good, especially Peter Dinklage as one of the attorneys. I am assuming they were mob lawyers, and the film seems to imply this, yet “mob” loses its meaning and becomes a caricature of itself, full of appearances and gestures and nothing of the tragedy underneath. The film holds the viewer's interest, but is as blatantly manipulative and effective as the trial’s defense. It is up to the viewers to think for themselves, or to be simply swayed. Roxana Ramirez
March 17, 2006