"The Courtroom"

Author(s): Bryce Marrero
Location: LA, CA

"The Courtroom"

Directed by: Ron Howard
Writer: Eric Roth and Grant Heslov
Producer: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and Tim Bevan

Drama

Main Cast

David Strathairn as Tom Jane
Will Smith as Marcus Miller
Tom Wilkinson as Judge Carter Wilson
Patricia Arquette as Sarah Tona
Eddie Jemison as Phil Tona

Tagline: "The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence"

Synopsis: On, November 1, 2007 Sarah Tona was found dead at her house. Her husband, Phil Tona was found at the scene of the crime with blood on his hands. On November 14, 2007 the trial to determine whether Phil is innocent or guilty will take place.

Phil has acquired charismatic defense attorney Marcus Miller to defend him. Marcus is the type of guy to take his job very serious. Marcus has always defended guilty men, but he is ready for a change as he morally can't take the guilt anymore of defending guilty men. Marcus is convinced that Phil is innocent, and actually worth defending.

On the prosecution is famous attorney Tom Jane. Tom is no stranger to violence and the ugly side of what could happen in a household. Both his mother and father were killed when he was little. That is why Tom takes much pleasure in sending guilty men to jail, and he is certain Phil Tona is as guilty as they come.

In the courtroom of arrogant judge Carter Wilson, Marcus and Tom go neck to neck to fight for what they believe is right. With many surprise evidence, and on the feet revelations, the trial easily becomes one of the most challenging trial in the two lawyer's careers.

What the Press would say:

"The Courtroom" is one of the best thought driven, intelligent, engaging, and entertaining court drama to come out in years. The film challenges audiences to dive into the trial, as the lawyers do, and make decisions for themselves. This film will definitely have audiences talking after seeing it. There is a verdict at the end, however the ending could be seen as ambiguous and leaves room for the final verdict to be incorrect. It's the type of film to leave it up to the audience to make a final verdict of their own. This is accomplished with the strong use of evidence throughout the film. Some evidence is found, others are not even picked up, and will have audiences speculating and coming up with their own theories.

Will Smith and David Strathairn give career defining, and Oscar caliber performances. Both lawyers go through much stress and anxiety throughout the movie as they both thrive to win the case. It is a transforming and demanding performance, as audiences witness how the case is physically draining the life out of these two lawyers. Another great feature of these remarkable characters is how different there methods are in the courtroom scenes. Audiences will have to get into the minds of two very different people to try and guess what the lawyers may be thinking. Will Smith's character is more of a people's lawyer. He uses charm, humor, and persuasion to try and manipulate the jury (and audiences) to think what he wants them to think. While David Strathairn is the cobra of the courtroom. Silent but when he has something, it makes a huge impact on the trial and can easily turn the trial in a new direction. Another great performance come from Eddie Jemison, the person on trial who always has an ambiguous, and emotionless face on him. This is used to throw off audiences from reading his thoughts or making judgments based on how he is reacting. Tom Wilkinson also gives a grand performance as the smart mouth judge who can see through all the lawyers tricks, and eventually becomes the root of the lawyers stress.

Ron Howard does something very special with the film. He combines three different atmospheres to create something unique. He uses an "epic" atmosphere in some scenes to convey the impact of new evidence. He uses a "real" atmosphere in some scenes to show the pressure and tension that goes on in court. And he also uses a noir sense in some of the scenario and detective style scenes. These aspects combined creates an identity for the film that make it one of a kind.

"The Courtroom" is the most engaging film to come out in awhile, with many twist, suspense, and thrills to entertain audiences. It is a true cinematic achievement in film history, and an official frontrunner for the upcoming Oscars.

Best Picture
Best Director- Ron Howard
Best Actor- Will Smith
Best Actor- David Strathairn
Best Supporting Actor- Eddie Jemison
Best Supporting Actor- Tom Wilkinson
Best Original Screenplay- Eric Roth and Grant Heslov