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• Lumet's Ability to Capture True Humor Finds Me In Awe posted on 28 Aug 2009

  Once again Sydney Lumet crafts a film about crooks that captures the best human qualities in all of us. He masterfully weaves the dark reality of a mobster into the ever constant "Glass is half-full" warmth that resonates out of Vin Diesel's character, Jackie DiNorscio. I found myself wishing I possessed such charisma. I imagined myself nonchalantly charming my way to the hearts of each juror. I even imagined myself having the courage to stand up for honor, camaraderie, loyalty and family even if everyone I loved had turned against me. Sadly, I know myself well enough and I know that I unfortunately do not possess all those traits. But, if a movie about a drug-dealing gangster can drive me to yearn for those qualities then my hats off to Mr. Lumet for creating such an engaging film. The most incredible fact is that the film's courtroom dialogue is nearly verbatim word-for-word from the transcript. And I must not forget to mention masterfully picked cast's ability to immerse you in the trial. Peter Dinklage gives another emotionally riveting performance leaving you to eagerly await his next turn to speak. Linus Roache, Ron Silver, Alex Rocco all deliver perfectly. But, most excitingly (and a little surprising) is Vin Diesel's untapped well of acting chops that he draws out onto the screen. He is so likable, practically lovable that you can not but help to like Jackie even though he candidly admits many of his shortcomings (many of which are not legal). I have yet to see Mr. Diesel deliver such a performance and I for one hope to see him pursue more roles that offer him the chance to bedazzle, bewilder and make him believable to me again. All in all I was thoroughly impressed and applaud all the creative process that went into making this fine film.

• How is this a comedy? posted on 22 Aug 2009

  This is not a comedy, it's not even a dark comedy. The humor is far and few between and it plays out more like a drama rather a comedy. Why is this listed as a comedy I'm not sure and I think the trailer for the film is quite deceiving.If a good comedy is what you are looking for you'll be disappointed.The crude language is pretty much off the charts as well so don't watch it if you're bothered by that.I think the Godfather trilogy is much better for this kind of subject. At least you come away in that movie with the thought that that kind of life doesn't pay in the long run.Watch Analyze This/That with Billy Crystal if you want real comedy.

• What a dud! posted on 20 Aug 2009

  The only good thing about this movie is Louie Prima singing "When Your Smilin'"Ron Silver plays a good heavy as the judge but the rest of it so bad. Why even make a movie about this? Are they just trying to tell the truth or are they saying that it's OK to be a gangster? I guess to be a member of a jury in New Jersey (and in California) you have to be dead from the neck up. Also to be a prosecutor in New Jersey, you have to be the same I guess. The truth is that the gangsters were the smart ones in this incident and they never got out of grade school. Avoid this movie like the plague.

• Vin Disel can act? posted on 21 Jul 2009

  I can honestly say that I'm happy for Vin Disel. He got to prove himself to be an real actor. Sort of. He seems to be really out of place in this movie, but I have to give him some credit. He did try.The movie itself seems like it's 22 months just like the trial we're watching. It takes way too long with all those crappy scenes that brings nothing at all to the film. But anyway, the movie would be great if it wasn't so freaking dull. Trial movies ain't my thing, but for those of you out there who finds talking funny, this is a movie for you.The only thing that made me keep watching the film was that the story was true and I wanted to see how Jackie would do.Thanks and good night

• Loved it! posted on 05 Jul 2009

  This movie was a surprise! Little did I know that Vin Diesel could do something else than flexing his biceps! It is my opinion that this movie brings out the diversity of his talents. The man can actually act! All the other actors did a great job, and the plot was fantastic, but still it was Vin Diesel's performance that got me mesmerized. A great movie about syndicate crime-life, and the loyalty between family-members. This movie also shows the hierarchy within these families and how everyone follows a Don's word, and takes it for granted that he knows whats best. Loved it, absolutely loved this movie.

• Find Me Guilty is Superbly Done posted on 14 Apr 2009

  I was very impressed with this particular movie...despite the fact that it was only limited released and where we live no theaters were even offering the movie.I found it to be a refreshing change to all the current box office movies today. It is a true life story and Mr. Lumet did an awesome job of representing and bringing the true life story to cinema. It seems that true life is more entertaining than all of the current nonsense being put in theaters, perhaps they were intimidated by such an inspiring true life film.Mr. Lumet and Mr. Vin Diesel Did an excellent job in the portrayal of the courtroom drama from the era around the 80s I believe. They actually had you pulling for the characters. I forgot that Mr. Diesel was who he was, which in my opinion the actor is doing their job because they become the character.This film seems to be categorized with movies such as Godfather, Goodfellas, and my Cousin Vinny, but let me tell you Mr. Lumet made the film completely identifiable and Mr. Diesel had you feeling for the characters. I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see a well made picture on one of the most unique court trials in American History. Mr. Lumet brought this time back to life and used the truth to tell the story without embellishing and over-polishing which are most Hollywood movies today.

• Not a Feel-Good Film, Not a Gritty Film, But a Great One Nonetheless posted on 29 Mar 2009

  It's funny, because despite this movie having a number of big stars in it, and it being directed by legendary director Sidney Lumet, I don't remember it coming out in theaters. If it did, it probably didn't last very long. Still, if it wasn't for DVD, I wouldn't know this movie existed. That's the great thing about underrated movies: you're able to better appreciate what audiences missed and critics overlooked.This film remains a proud member of my DVD collection, and a film that I return to over and over again. The dialogue is great, the character development is excellent even in the smaller roles (such as Ron Silver's performance as Judge Feinstein, which is perhaps the best of his career), and the movie is unexpectedly fun. The film's spontaneity is propelled by the fact that you don't expect a movie about crime families, let alone a true story about crime families on trial, to be funny.Of course, you can't review this movie without talking about Vin Diesel. Naturally, Diesel has received mixed reviews for his performance. Some, like me, say it's the best role of his career. Others have said casting Diesel in a role as an Italian mobster like having Sylvester Stallone play Beethoven. Of course, I think Diesel added the right touch of humor and some drama into this role, and he made Jackie DiNorscio into a complex character that you really cared about. You never know how much bad the real DiNorscio did in his life from watching this movie, but that's not even the point of the film. It's just very surprising that Diesel's film career has slowed considerably since taking on this role, although it probably wasn't as a result. His not being in the sequel to XXX and other movies may have been a contributing factor.Peter Dinklage also has a commanding supporting role in this movie as a believable ally to Diesel and his compatriots, but who is nonetheless a no-nonsense lawyer who sets DiNorscio straight on numerous occasions. Dinklage, in my opinion, should have received an Academy Award nomination for this role. But since the movie was overlooked on the whole, it's not surprising he didn't. Still, like Diesel, Dinklage is going to have a movie role sometime in the next few years that will give him the recognition he deserves. Roger Ebert pointed out that when Dinklage's character cross-examined, a staircase with steps was rolled out not only because of his height, but because Dinklage was propelled to a higher level in this movie. There is no doubt that Dinklage deserved that levitation, since he stole every scene he was in.One of the main points many critics have pointed out is that you are never given the full extent to what crimes these mob bosses have committed. They probably have killed, stolen, and other similar crimes to that extent. The film touches on that point, but on the other hand, doesn't glorify those crimes either. I guess the main point of the movie was that they were tried for the wrong reasons. The reason I don't give this movie 10 out of 10 stars is because I'm still mixed in regards to who was really the villain in this movie: the prosecution or the defendants. The prosecution, which includes a brilliantly performance by Linus Roache, was really made out to be the evil ones. I'm not sure if that was how it was in real life, and I guess there's no way of really knowing.Of course, this movie documents the longest trial in U.S. history (to this day, I believe), but even with the subtitles saying how many days into the trial a certain scene takes place, you'd never know that fact through the two hour movie. That's not a weakness in the film, but rather a testament to how intriguing the movie is. Again, it's historical accuracy is questionable, but it tells a great story. It's a film I would watch, and have watched, again and again, and I give it a high recommendation.

• impressive and interesting story posted on 21 Mar 2009

  Been putting off seeing this movie cos of how it flopped and vin is usually an action kinda guy. This movie was very watchable, and Vin was impressive in the lead role. The whole film made me think a lot about the issues raised in the film, what I thought about the way the film told its story, if I objected to it or liked it and how it all related to the real world story it was telling. firstly I hate that the characters in the film get away with their life of crime apparently because of the charisma of the Vin character, but I don't think this movie necessarily takes the side of the 'charming outlaws' it just recounts a sad tale in US law. once past that issue the film really works well in capturing the event, the characters and a really quite important occurrence in mafia and legal history. watching Vin actually act is a joy.

• Diesel Flails Even with Lumet Back in the Courtroom But a Few Others Shine posted on 15 Mar 2009

  In an ambitious bid for credibility as a serious actor, Vin Diesel tries hard here, but despite his imposing physical stature, he just doesn't have either the finesse or the gravitas to carry off the role of Jackie DiNorscio, a pivotal member of the true-life New Jersey Lucchese crime family who have been brought to court on 76 charges of various crimes. This resulted in the longest criminal trial in U.S. history. No stranger to the courtroom (12 Angry Men, The Verdict), veteran filmmaker Sidney Lumet helmed this 2006 dramedy, and while some of his prowess is evident on the edges, the film is a relatively lifeless slog through the exhausting duration of the trial. Lumet, who co-wrote the script with T.J. Mancini and Robert J. McCrea, seems to think the story is compelling enough itself without having to invest much in terms of story structure to the production. It turns out to be a key error in judgment.The problems start with the toupee-challenged Diesel who seems to be left out to dry by Lumet, as his lunk-headed, clownish presence makes DiNorscio's dilemma less than palpable. After refusing a plea bargain from hyper-obsessed federal prosecutor Sean Kierney, DiNorscio chooses to represent himself in court, and it would have taken a more outsized personality than Diesel's to emphasize the dramatic impact of this ploy. Fortunately, Lumet still shows an idiosyncratic sense in casting many of the other roles, and three actors stand out. First, Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent) lends a becalming authority to the role of one of the defense attorneys and as it turns out, the one ally DiNorscio can trust. That he is a dwarf comes up only when a platform is wheeled into the courtroom for him to provide arguments. Second, Annabella Sciorra has a powerful cameo as DiNorscio's embittered ex-wife whose visit with her cheating ex-husband becomes a chain-smoking rite of passage for her.Finally, in his film debut, Broadway sensation Raúl Esparza (Company) plays the key role of DiNorscio's greasy, drug-addicted cousin Tony Compagna with surprising relish. His character's desperate act opens the film, but it's the brief climactic cross-examination scene that finally brings the trial to life with Tony visibly breaking down under the weight of his betrayal to DiNorscio. I just wish the rest of the movie was as involving. The usually low-key British actor Linus Roache is a surprising choice to play Kierney, and he provides the necessary bombast but with a wavering accent. The rest of the casting is more typical with Alex Rocco playing head gangster Nick Calabrese and Ron Silver as the often exasperated presiding judge. Lumet unwisely uses musical cues to punctuate the action, though the music often overwhelms the dialogue to the point of distraction. The DVD comes with just one extra, "Conversations with Sidney Lumet", which has been inexplicably broken up into multiple parts despite the cursory nature of Lumet's comments in each section.

• Amazing: Vin Diesel can actually act ! posted on 09 Mar 2009

  This movie completely surprised me.I would NEVER have guessed that Vin Diesel has it in him. This guy actually can act ! So I wonder why he thought it necessary to appear in those brain-dead testosterone action movies up to now.Peter Dinklage as attorney Ben Klandis was great.I much admired Linus Roache as the DA. I wonder why he's not better known. I will certainly look up the movies he was in and put them on my DVD rental list at Amazon's.And last not least I did like Ron Silver as the Judge.This movie is very circumspect in making the audience acquainted with all the important characters. There's hardly any slack in it and if you don't know how the case ended in real life, you'll be as curious to know as the defendants :-)I can recommend it and voted 8/10.

• love you Vin posted on 09 Feb 2009

  well i don't wanted to write something which makes you watch this movie but i wanted to say that VIN DIESEL has proof once again that he can do every kind of role and he is not only the action or tough hero.after i watch his movie THE PACIFIER movie i was amazed that VIN was fit for that role also.and now FIND ME GUILTY a very good movie of VIN and good acting plus another good story and movie from SIDNEY LUMET i just simply love the movie and the story.that how the man can defend him self in real life such case.i wish VIN will continue to work good and make his fans happy.BUT PLEASE Don't FORGET TO MAKE THE HANNIBAL AS I CANT WAIT TO SEE VIN DIESEL IN THE ROLE I M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD FOR HIS ANOTHER GOOD MOVIE LIKE Hit-man AND HANNIBAL.LOVE YOU VIN AND KEEP DOING THE GOOD WORK WE THE FANS ARE WITH YOU ALWAYS.

• In "V For Vendetta" we found out that terrorists are the good guys. In Lumet's new movie we are told that we should side with mobsters, too. posted on 28 Jan 2009

  A movie "based on facts" that expects us to side with mobsters and psychopaths? FMG ends with a retarded jury - composed of garbage men and cocktail waitresses no doubt (i.e. the intellectual creme-de-la-creme of any society) - dishing out an unbelievable "not guilty" verdict to dozens of hardened criminals. You can sense how jubilant the director of this celluloid fantasy wants us to feel when this verdict is being read.This kind of immoral message can only come from a person who has spent decades in Hollywood, i.e. mixing with the worst of the jet-set, taking kilometers of cocaine up the nose, and probably having socialized with many gangsters himself. Ladies and gentlemen, Sydney Lumet, the man, the legend, the hypocritical moron. One reviewer said "how the mighty have fallen" when referring to Lumet. I disagree vehemently. Lumet was always a left-wing douche-bag. His manipulative (though admittedly very well made) drama, "12 Angry Men", which he made 50 earlier was also about pleading for mercy when it came to murderers and other "poor, misunderstood" psychopaths. Still, at least that movie was ambiguous about whether the defendant was actually guilty or not. It was a forerunner of "Dead Man Walking", "Capote", and other Tinseltown anti-death penalty movies which followed in large numbers. Hence, Lumet has neither risen nor fallen morally: he is merely what he always was - a self-deluded liberal propagandist of the worst kind.The movie is well made, I cannot take anything away from that. Diesel is very good, and the gangsters couldn't have been better cast by Scorsese himself. Speaking of Scorsese, his mob dramas never glorified the life of gangsters nor did he make insinuations - like FMG's defense lawyers - to try and look at gangsters as regular, decent family men.Lumet portrays the prosecutor as an ambitious, humourless, and even sadistic a**hole, while the defense lawyers - the real-life a**holes - are supposed to be idealistic and likable. I really have to wonder if Lumet is merely a mean-spirited political extremist/lunatic or whether he is just plain stupid. And I mean stupid in the purest sense of the word.Perhaps Lumet, the Democrat "do-gooder" (just exactly what good does one do when siding with criminals i.e. against society?), doesn't side with gangsters as much as he merely hates to see a Republican lawyer successfully clean up a once notoriously dangerous New York. Leftists can never seem to forgive Giulianni for doing that. The contempt (read: envy) they have for what Giulianni achieved goes so far that I recently saw a documentary about New York City in which notable "artistes" speak of how much they miss the old, seedy, criminal New York. One jet-set low-IQ hypocrite even said that "perhaps a large city SHOULD be too dangerous for women and children, because that kind of environment helps in creating artistic inspiration". Amazing. But I'm sure a Tinseltown phoney such as Lumet would wholeheartedly agree.Any viewers who were celebrating the not guilty verdict at the end of the movie are easily manipulated sheep. Rooting for gangsters, buta also idealizing people like Tom Cruise and Paris Hilton are really just the sign of our times. It all adds up nicely. All ye sheep, raise your hands if you consider Diesel's character (and I mean character, not real person) to be credible.Baa-aah.Alan Derschowitz must be proud.

• Better Than I Expected posted on 28 Jan 2009

  I know the movie is not Vin Diesel but the movie is about his character. Lumet did some fine directing and Diesel gave a pretty good performance. I don't think Pesci would have been right for the role because it would have been My Cousin Vinny all over again. While I think Diesel did well, I think that a better actor could have brought more to the role. Still, I commend him on the part. He did bring some kind of depth to Jackie. All in all, it was an enjoyable movie that will be more scrutinzed because of the praise it is receiving and how astonished everyone is over Diesel's performance. I expect some kind of backlash but if we put this in perspective, it's not 12 Angry Men, but it's a colorful movie that is pretty enjoyable and Diesel did a pretty good job with the role.

• Reprehensible posted on 02 Jan 2009

  Films based on true life incidents always take a stand, one way or another. The stand that Sideny Lumet takes with "Find Me Guilty" is, in a word - reprehensible.When the no guilty verdict is delivered, we the audience are expected to share the joy of the defendants in their celebrations. It's tantamount to being asked to celebrate OJ Simpon's "victory". Forget about the crimes committed and the ruination of numerous lives from the racketeering, drug trafficking and more. After all, the defendants are basically a bunch of good hearted Italians who incidentally happen to be mobsters.Worst of all is the portrayal of prosecutor Tierney. The part is written and played (by Linus Roache, wasted in the part) in a shallow, two dimensional fashion. His accurate description of the crimes perpetrated make him the party pooper we are asked to dislike.It's difficult to understand and disappointing to observe a director of the calibre of Lumet completely siding with the Mafia mobsters. This from the director of "Dog Day Afternoon", a marvellous film based on a true life crime, yet presented in all its facets. Lumet panders to the lowest common denominator which is indeed a far cry from his previous work. How the mighty have fallen.Lumet has always been a great director for actors. Fine performers have turned in unforgettable performances; Steiger in "The Pawnbroker", Pacino in "Dog Day Afternoon", the entire cast of "Long Day's Journey into Night" and many more. Even very mediocre actors rise to the occasion when guided by Lumet - see Tab Hunter in "That Kind of Woman". Vin Diesel is yet to prove himself as an actor, but under Lumet's direction he turns in his finest screen performance yet with a convincing and winning performance. Too bad it has to be in this spurious vehicle.

• "Goodfellas" meets "The People vs. Larry Flynt" , comedic twist on a surprisingly enjoyable court room melodrama, Lumet remains masterful posted on 11 Dec 2008

  **** Vin Diesel, Linus Roache, Ron Silver, Alex Rocco, Raul Esparza, Richard DeDomenico, Tim Cinnante, Paul Borghese. Directed by Sidney Lumet. One of my favorite classic director's Sidney Lumet who hasn't made a true stunning film in years, but "Guilty" may be his new avenue. Of course I was skeptical with Vin Diesel as the head liner of the show case and he has always been a bit atrocious when it comes to acting. Long time mafia gangster Jack DiNorscio (Diesel; in an impressive performance) who gets busted for narcotics defends himself in court during the longest trial in history. Lumet and Diesel actually go together hand in hand, I surely hope Diesel does better things. And I was glad to see the return of Sidney Lumet, the last thing I remember seeing was "Dog Day Afternoon" that was really great and that was in the 70's. I am pleased to say that "Guilty" does not disappoint but in fact is far from it. My final rating 10/10.

• Life is Funnier than Art! posted on 07 Dec 2008

  I was not surprised that Vin Diseal was so good in this movie. His role really is not a stretch from who he is in real life - a tough guy who grew up in New York City.That this is based on a real court room trial makes it all the funnier. The script writers used much of the transcripts from the trial of Mobster Jack DiNorscio. Crime may not pay, but it can be hilarious.Critics of this movie get wrapped around the axle that it is sympathetic to criminals. Forget the moral outrage, this particular criminal was funny, he was human, he did terrible things which the movie does portray.Maybe I'm more forgiving than some because I've known people like this in real life - not criminals, but real life everyday people who walk, talk and think like "Fat Jack" DiNorscio. You don't need a formal education to be smart, and you can rise to being a Prosecutor or Judge without smarts.I say watch, relax and enjoy.

• A Nutshell Review: Find Me Guilty posted on 20 Oct 2008

  We're all familiar with Vin Diesel being the new action hero, with his buffed muscular body, bald pate, gruff voice and his high octane movies like Fast and the Furious and xXx. He took a different path into comedy with The Pacifier, and now, into drama with Find Me Guilty. How did he fair?Pretty good, in spite of the focus being on his new look hairdo and belly (ok, so it's prosthetics and makeup assisted). Playing a real life mobster Jack DiNorscio, and the true story of his defense of himself in court without a lawyer, in an extremely long trial spanning 21 months, where it's the US Government versus the Lucchese crime family.The movie started off promisingly with a tense scene classic of any mafia movies, that of a hit job, though it's laced with some unexpected humour. Alas, just as you thought the movie will go uphill from then on, it actually stalled and cruised along, before tapering from the halfway mark until the end.Diesel as DiNorscio deftly balanced dramatics with flair for comedy, labelling himself as a "gagster" rather than a "gangster", inevitably forming a bond with the jurors of the case, getting into the skin of the prosecutors and having a hard time convincing his fellow chums that his loyalties still lie with the family, that he'll never rat them out or knowingly jeopardize their chances in court. However, amongst his buddies, he fared the worst, having to defend himself in court and go home to his jail cell, where he's still serving time. It's a bit like doing your all for your family, but yet experiencing a non-reciprocal feeling from them.You probably won't care much for the other characters, consisting of many minor role hoodlums and their numerous legal representatives. Perhaps the only other role having prominence is Ron Silver's Judge Finestein, who has to precede over this gruelling cast and at the same time reining in DiNorscio's antics.Although this movie boasts the using of actual court transcripts for its dialogue, there are not enough compelling arguments, objections, challenges and square offs. Rather, the movie zooms by quite quickly to the basic significant courtroom sessions - it's obvious you can't cover 21 months worth of material in 2 hours.So for those eager to watch top-notch courtroom drama, you might go away a little disappointed, but if you buy into Vin Diesel's charm, and of course for Vin Diesel fans, you might go away enjoying every moment of his screen presence.

• Yes he can posted on 08 Oct 2008

  Some might be surprised (I dare to say many), that Vin Diesel can in fact act! You might know him as an action star, but he did good work besides that genre (one of his better roles, although a small one, was in Boiler Room).Some might say, that Vin Diesel looks good here, only because of the director (Sidney Lumet), but I disagree. Not only, because it's been quite some time since he last left a mark, but because that would be unfair to Vin Diesel's accomplishment.What about the story though (based on a true story)? You get Diesel as a criminal defending himself against the law. His humour is his greatest weapon, but also his weakness. What the outcome is? Either you know the story or you have to watch the (non PC) movie!

• Found Me Liking Vin Diesel posted on 20 Sep 2008

  Sidney Lumet aside, I never thought in a million years I would like a movie created almost exclusively as a star project for Vin Diesel. So the fact that I not only liked the movie, but thought its greatest asset was Diesel himself, left me floored.In "Find Me Guilty," Diesel plays real-life gangster hood Jackie DiNorscio, who, along with about twenty other members of an organized crime family, is put on trial by the city of Los Angeles. Jackie's already in prison for an unrelated charge, and blames his inadequate lawyer for landing him there, so he decides to represent himself, even though he has no legal training. Nearly the entire film is taken up with the court proceedings, terrain Lumet has visited before. Nothing about the film is especially remarkable or fancy, but it's extremely solid and provides evidence that Vin Diesel may have a career playing something other than growling action heroes.The movie's somewhat dubious conclusion is that we should admire Jackie for his loyalty to his friends, even if ratting his friends out would mean that murderers, thieves and drug dealers would be removed from the streets.Grade: B+

• Surprisingly good posted on 16 Sep 2008

  The movie had a really great script; it was funny, dramatic and touching. I was really surprised by Vin Diesel's performance, I wasn't expecting him to pull it off. I think Jackie D himself, his personality and his words helped Vin a lot there. I was also impressed by Raúl Esparza as Tony. I've seen him on Broadway and I have been wowed by his stage performances. I wasn't sure if he could make the transition, but he was the perfect paranoid junkie. The only problems I had with the movie are with tiny details like extras dressed in 2006 fashions and flat screen monitors on desks. Knowing that the trial began in the early 90's, it caught my attention and stuff like the computer monitors shouldn't grab attention. Overall, "Find Me Guilty" is a great movie, and I highly recommend it.