Review of Criminal Law

Gary Oldman is in top form as an attorney obsessed with winning, but toes the unethical line after doing his job too good and regrettably getting his rich arrogant client, played by a sexy slithering Kevin Bacon, acquitted for a sexual violation and murder, who's later revealed to be a prolife serial killer toying with said attorney, which sends his attorney over the edge. From this movie to another movie where he terrorizes a Wife (played by Charlize Theron) and her family to Hollow Man to City on a Hill, Bacon always nails the charming creep role! If you split Criminal Law into three acts: Beginning, middle and end, the first two acts work while the final act spirals out of control and ruined any rewatch value. Bacon's character for example is smooth, methodical and confident his riches will always bail him out of anything. Then, suddenly he's erratic and going off the rails in the final act and I hated the cliche ending. The blonde love interest for Oldman's attorney character added nothing for me except one rough, passionate sex scene that illustrated Oldman's increasingly maddening state of mind. Well played and acted by both actors. Despite Criminal Law's shortcomings, you can't tell me The Lincoln Lawyer author and screenwriter didn't draw from this movie as its premise and just tweaked it. I bet The Devil's Advocate took some "inspiration" too when it comes to blurred morals of thoroughly representing an obviously guilty monster to score a win. And yes, I do believe in innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and everyone deserving legal representation, which reminds me there's some quick great dialogue in this movie about the defense attorney's role, ethics and justice.