I’m not a big fan of fantasy movies. While numerous nerds, and inner nerds, got literal and metaphorical boners over the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, I didn’t even see them all. Which is big, coming from me, who saw Ghost Rider, The Number 23, and “Step Up 2: The Streets”…twice (side note: great movie). I watch just about everything.
I am much more a fan of real life movies, stuff that could actually happen, like “The Bourne Ultimatum”, “Happy Gilmore” and “The Prestige”.
As such, I am starting a new column focused on the best real life movies, focused on real life people, and real life jobs.
And, thus, I introduce to you, the first in a 237 part series in titled “Top 5: Occupational Movies”. Today, we focus on the most loved occupation in the world, lawyers.
Lawyer movies are always enjoyable* (*note, lawyer movies are not always enjoyable). Forced to be well written, they are often full of passionate speeches, twist ending and shocking reveals.
In no particular order, here are 5 recent lawyer movies that can’t be missed (note, this is not a comprehensive list, but more to inspire you and make you qualified to judge if lawyering is something for you):
1. Primal Fear – This movie belongs to Edward Norton. Even if you bought a copy of the film, Edward Norton still owns it. In this, his first film, he plays the defendant, an alter boy, accused of murdering an arch-bishop. Richard Gere, playing your stereotypical arrogant, money grubbing lawyer, chooses to represent him. The last 15 minutes of this movie will blow your mind, and make you wonder if you would ever want to be a criminal lawyer…. good stuff.
2. Philadelphia – The first of the Tom Hanks (click here for some funny Tom Hanks related humor) Oscar double fest, followed by the loveable and seafood restaurant spurning Forrest Gump, this movie teams Tom Hanks, a lawyer, and Denzel Washington, also a lawyer, up against, you guessed it, lawyers. A trifecta of lawyer on lawyer action, the emotionally charged trial over AIDS and a wrongful termination case, will be tearing at your heart strings as you find yourself arguing against “the man”
3. Runaway Jury – John Cusack (always a winner), Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman throw in some gorgeous with Rachal Wiesz and you have quite the cast. Something about lawyer movies bring together the who’s who of Hollywood players. It seems like everyone has been in a lawyer movie, all to make a passionate closing argument. This one looks at a firearms case from the jury’s point of view. Entertaining stuff.
4. A Few Good Men – Because of this movie, people will continuously be asking if you are able to ‘handle the truth’. Jack Nicholson and pre-crazy Tom Cruise come together for some heated moments in military court.
5. Legally Blonde – Perhaps the most accurate depiction of law school ever (I have been told…), as far as chick flicks go this one is actually pretty enjoyable. They use a lot of lawyer words, so it, like, totally counts as a lawyer movie. And it manages to teach you a very valuable lesson, for both in and out of the court room, “the bend…. and snap!”.
I realize now that only five movies is somewhat short sighted…here are some more lawyer movies, new and old that are far better than some other movies you could watch (looking your way, “Beowolf”): “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Fracture”, “The Rainmaker”, “My Cousin Vinny”, “12 Angry Men”, “Erin Brockovich”, “A Time to Kill”, “Ghosts of Mississippi”, “Courage Under Fire”.