Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Let's be realistic.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Unlike most other Al Pacino "...and justice for all" seems to have been mostly forgotten in the decades that have passed since it was in theaters. Watching it, I think I know the main reason why it hasn't managed to stay in the consciousness of the general public. The most plausible reason is that the movie doesn't seem to know what tone to follow. Certainly, it's okay for a black comedy to have occasional touches of seriousness. It's also okay for a serious drama to have occasional touches of humor, dark or otherwise. But with this movie, the filmmakers seem to be trying hard to give both seriousness and humor an equal footing. As a result, the movie presents a very weird world where people alternately drift from one extreme to another and then back again. It's often kind of hard to relate to.But while the movie is kind of schizophrenic in tone, it does have some strengths that probably make it worth a look. The strange tone does get you to a degree curious to see what unusual move the movie will make next. There are individual vignettes that do deliver some power, and will stick with you long after the movie is over. Pacino delivers another solid performance; in fact, all the performances in the movie are good. And along the way, the movie does manage to make some biting commentary on the justice system that is still relevant today, showing that justice is NOT for all participants in the system. If you are willing to put up with a very uneven tone, the movie will probably keep you interested and entertained for two hours. As I said, it's certainly never dull.

I for one mostly like legal movies as they are mixed with drama, suspense and very tense scenes and most of the time the plots are revealing and with a twist. And this 1979 picture directed by TV man Norm Jewison has all of that with an all right title of "And Justice For All" it shows that the courts and legal system is a cat and mouse game with unfairness and plenty of corruption, and true the film is mixed with some funny moments and some outrageous characters to round the entertainment and overall quality of it.Al Pacino(one of the best around and one of his better roles which was Oscar nominated)is Arthur Kirkland a young criminal defense lawyer in Baltimore, who watches a system with criminals going free as it's the typical lawyers and judges are making deals like plea bargains and deals, yet all of a sudden the innocent are going unprotected. As after case after case Arthur is to repay a favor somewhat political it's like you scratch my back I scratch yours as Arthur is pressured into defending a high profile judge(played by John Forsythe) who's been accused of raping and beating a young girl. And you guessed it Arthur knows he's guilty and finally all of this comes to an explosive head! This film is simply about integrity and choosing between right and wrong it's a calling for morality and in the meantime it's a showcase and satire spin of the justice legal system which like anything else can be manipulated, really overall good underrated late 1970's film.

"...And Justice for All" is an Oscar nominated court room drama that stars Al Pacino as charismatic and personable lawyer Arthur Kirkland,who has apparently gotten sick of the American judicial system.Joining him in are Jack Warden, John Forsythe, and Lee Strasberg. This film directed by Norman Jewison has earned a Oscar nominations for both Pacino and the screenplay written by Barry Levison and Valerie Curtin.Added to that,it also well-known for its final speech scene by Kirkland which has served as inspiration to many films after it was shown back in 1979.Arthur Kirkland is a lawyer who remains someone who is fighting for truth,justice and idealism which many lawyers tend to forget once they attain fame and fortune.This is presented in the story through many cases and problems that his clients face including defending a judge who is guilty and cannot refuse to become his client as he is threatened to get disbarred from his profession as a lawyer.It was obvious that Al Pacino's presence and great performance made this film a classic.He portrayed Kirkland extremely well that is definitely unforgettable.His final speech wherein the people in the court scream,"You are out of order" His presence and personality as the lawyer Arthur Kirkland,helps carry this drama-comedy through to an effective if melodramatic monologue at the end, functioning as the summation of a court case.Despite the many plots involved in it,the viewer won't get confused as Pacino's performance becomes central to the movie rather than the many events that are involved in it.

There are plenty of movies that have aged gracefully and are still wholly relevant, such as The GodFather. However, this is not one of them. Unfortunately, it doesn't even fall in the "it's so bad, it's good" category either.Please note that this review contains multiple spoilers.For instance, as a 1979 picture, studios wanted to be on the cutting edge of what was considered cool at the time and thus, instead of a dramatic symphonic soundtrack, we are greeted right from the get-go with disco grooves. Since this felt so out of place, it would have made sense to see John Travolta in a cameo as the introductory credits rolled by. Keep in mind this is a drama about a case where a woman is severely beaten and raped, so prompting the audience to snap its fingers and gyrate its hips to appease the brutality of the crime was a decision that the kindred spirit of Jeffrey Dahmer presiding over Columbia Pictures at the time reasonably took.There are countless moments of total absence of logic that should baffle the mind of anybody with an IQ of 60 or higher.For one, Pacino's character, "Arthur," is in jail overnight for trying to punch a judge in the face. There is no way that he would still be practicing law afterwards. However, due to the infinitely spotless track record of 24h jail timeouts, it makes sense to assume that Arthur has learned his lesson. Next, a woman on a committee that antagonizes Arthur falls for the lamest sober pickup attempt in film history, in spite of the fact that she's a foot taller and out of his league. I've witnessed fewer leaps of faith in Rambo. Then, they proceed to have yelling matches sporadically throughout the movie but are magically able to separate their professional and personal lives. I have witnessed better chemistry between a Nazi officer and a concentration camp prisoner.Arthur's best friend is Jay who spends 2 scenes laughing exaggeratingly loud and long at an ironic element in the story. It had more weight and appeared more natural when Dr Evil did the same in Austin Powers. It is known later that a killer he freed on a technicality killed 2 children which upset him so that he took refuge at the end of a long hall with an endless stack of plates which he frisbeed at people who would approach him. This posed such a threat that 2 police officers unholstered their guns ready to shoot him. Later, he shaves his head (eat your heart out, Brittany Spears).Arthur is blackmailed into to defending the judge he despises in spite of the fact that he's guilty because he could otherwise be disbarred on a technicality. Trying to hit a judge is bad but apparently not as bad as calling the cops because he thought a crazy client of his might kill people, which is a conflict of interest. Makes sense.There is another judge in the story who is purely suicidal. He spend his lunches on the ledge of the 4th-floor, pilots helicopters with limited fuel supplies, and attempt to shoot his head off with a long rifle in his bathroom before court starts. Next to him, the Joker is the picture child for mental stability.The climax of the movie is the courtroom scene where Arthur is making his opening statement. He stops midway and announces that he can't continue because his client's guilty. The presiding judge tells him he's out of order to which Arthur yells back "No, YOU'RE out of order!" indicating to everybody that his comebacks have the wit of a 6-year old. Incredibly, the courtroom audience erupts in applause, give him a standing ovation, and the accused judge is seen with his head in his hands, all telling us, that the defendant will finally pay for his crimes. Unbelievable. I have seen more tactical argumentation from Creationists.Arthur is then seen sitting on the steps of the courthouse where Jay, who is clearly wearing a wig, is ready to come in. Jay salutes Arthur by lifting his wig off like you would a hat as a gesture of politeness. This surreal scene tops anything in the movie. Even in his drunken foolishness, the director must have thought the same, which is why the credits started rolling right after... complete with bland disco beats! I would rather pour a generous coating of sweet honey over my naked genitals and offer them buffet-style to a hungry tribe of fire ants than ever watch this movie again. You have been warned.