As Phil Spector's legal team scrambles to devise a suitable defense in the seemingly indefensible shooting death of cocktail waitress and aspiring actress Lana Clarkson, highly regarded yet sickly and deeply skeptical trial lawyer Linda Kenney Baden (Helen Mirren) signs on to the case. As she meets the intelligent, voltaitle, and dillusional legend (Al Pacino), she becomes a little starstruck by his meteoric achievements in the music industry, and begins to be convinced of his innocence. HBO's new film comes with a big, fat disclaimer attached to it. That being said, it is both a fascinating look at a legendary personality and an adept examination of our legal system, particularly notions of reasonable doubt and how it can be easily swayed in a jury. Writer/director David Mamet cuts to the chase and delivers a smart, succinct film while Pacino, as expected, hams up the role to great effect and has Mirren as his perfect counter.
