And Justice for All: Something Funny is Going On Funny is Going On
Directed by Norman Jewison
“You’re out of order! You’re out of order! The whole trial is out of order!”
Arthur Kirkland
The premise of And Justice for All is perfectly described by its soundtrack. It expresses that, “There’s something funny going on.” Dubbed as a legal drama film, it follows a destructive judicial system. This system convicts the innocent yet turns a blind eye to the guilty. Enter our protagonist, a morally conscious lawyer that is caught in the center of it all. Directed by Norman Jewison, a group of prominent actors bring the concept to life.
Al Pacino returns to the screen two years after the completion of Bobby Deerfield (1977), and he stars as a defense attorney named Arthur Kirkland. Kirkland cares deeply about injustices, which many of his clients experience at the hands of the law. He makes this disapproval known through fists or words, whichever works better. He is a wild card, yet Pacino showcases him through an exceptionally humanistic lens. His concern for the vulnerable proved to be a defining facet of his character and provided great emotional peaks that would tug at the audiences heart strings. His humanism reaches its culmination toward the final act as he acts in defense of another lawyer. In his disagreement with injustice, he utters a famous line, “You’re out of order! You’re out of order! The whole trial is out of order!” The dialogue for this film is attributed to Valerie Curtin and Barry Levinson, both of which provided a strong script in some parts, and a bit weak in others.
The film attempts to promote a message of integrity above the fear of self-preservation, though this is obscured by sudden changes in tone. With all the drama, those abrupt cuts to humor are so drastic that they seem to give the audience whiplash. Unfortunately, the film settles on neither and seems to be a hybrid of both – a dramedy. Lacking focus at times, it did not help that the protagonist focused on the problems of multiple clients verses a fully-developed issue of one client. Too many supporting characters made for too many subplots. Still, the characters portrayed by Jack Warden, John Forsythe, and many more were essential in the storyline. They acted as vehicles to carry the plot along. Special commendation goes to Jeffrey Tambor’s performance, as he did a phenomenal job. Despite my few criticisms of the film, And Justice for All will be remembered chiefly for Al Pacino’s superb acting. It will also be known as a relatively solid and entertaining dramedy.
The Island Cinephile 
