The story and performances alone would be enough to put “Mangrove” at the top of this list, but the actual elements of the film`s audience room are just as masterful in their execution. McQueen approaches all aspects of the trial with suspense, momentum and emotional weight, keeping viewers on screen throughout the legal proceedings. “Mangrove” has an absurd rating of 99% “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes and an equally impressive average of 90% on Metacritic. The only problem around the film is that more people haven`t seen it. Jeff Nichols` 2016 film is based on the lives of Richard and Mildred Loving, whose arrest for interracial marriage in Virginia in 1958 led to a legal battle that made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The film, which has received rave reviews, will provide satisfactory context if you inevitably read Loving v. Virginia in your constitutional law class. Before we begin, let`s briefly discuss a few criteria.

Legal dramas have been around for a long time and some of the most important entries of the genre are quite old. Legacy and influence will of course go into the placement of a film, as will its overall critical reception, success and longevity in pop culture, as well as its awards and accolades. The freshness, originality and romantic manipulation of the genre can also earn movie points. Finally, there are a number of great films that feature trials and lawyers as part of the story, but they have been excluded because their legal components take a back seat. In other words, just because there`s a trial at its peak doesn`t mean it`s a “lawyer`s movie” — “Marriage Story” and “Kramer vs. Kramer,” for example, can easily be classified as relationship dramas. With all that on the sidelines, here are 25 of the best legal films and legal dramas ever made. Before 2012`s Magic Mike, his Oscar-winning appearance at the Dallas Buyers Club and 2014`s True Detective brought what became known as “McConaissance” to the next level, the Dazed and Confused star has already found entertaining ways to shake up his relaxed personality. The Lincoln Lawyer, an adaptation of a long series of novels by Bosch author Michael Connelly, is a fairly predictable, sometimes clumsy legal thriller, reinforced by McConaughey`s judicial charisma and the charm of the bailiff. Whether he`s chatting with his driver (Laurence Mason), flirting with his ex-wife (Marisa Tomei), or speaking out at his manipulative client (a pleasantly despicable Ryan Phillippe), McConaughey`s Mick Haller is the kind of slightly slimy hero you can`t help but get excited about.

Plus, like the 90s thrillers, from which it is clearly inspired, The Lincoln Lawyer has a stacked supporting cast (Bryan Cranston! William H. Macy! Michael Peña! Josh Lucas! John Leguizamo! Shea Whigham!) This helps to sell all the ridiculous twists and turns of the plot. Starring Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis, “The Accused” tells the story of a young woman (Foster) who is sexually abused and legally defends herself against the men responsible. In the late `80s, it was a bold and somewhat controversial plot for a major film, but with the massive support of Paramount`s president of production dawn Steel and producer Sherry Lansing, “The Accused” became a huge critical and commercial success (via THR). Foster has won several awards for his lead role, including at the Oscars and Golden Globes. The culmination of Oliver Stone`s hyperrepositive, brain-brain-paranoid style, this epic directed by Kevin Costner that examines JFK`s assassination through the prism of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, has been criticized over the years for alleged leaps in logic and perceived failures in journalistic judgment. As a hermetic argument, you may not find the film`s network of connections between the CIA, the Mafia, the FBI, and the military particularly compelling. But as a frenetic meditation on American outrage, a recurring theme in Stone`s work, and an included character study of perseverance, one of the key aspects of any good legal thriller, the film works. It also inspired a classic Seinfeld story.

RBG – The incredible life and work of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has developed an impressive legal legacy while becoming a surprising pop culture icon. Length: 98 minutes Director: Julie Cohen, Betsy West Stars: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ann Kittner, Harryette Helsel Watch the movie: RBG Harrison Ford still carries the cultural baggage of Han Solo and Indiana Jones and is friendly enough to get away with a touch of defamation.