David Edgar Greenhill (Don Johnson) hires skilled defense attorney Jennifer Haines (Rebecca De Mornay) after she gets a big win. He stands accused of murdering his wealthy wife but claims that she set him up with her own death. Haines' boyfriend Phil Garson (Stephen Lang) is not happy with her new duplicitous womanizing client but she can't quit the case even when she wants to. Investigator Moe (Jack Warden) is her mentor.

This is directed by the legendary Sidney Lumet. It's not one of his better works or well-known films. I expect more from such a big name. The 90's corporate Toronto locales don't help. I can't take seriously the 80's decor or that courtroom. A more classical courtroom would work better. As for De Mornay, I expected a more worldly Haines. She must assume that many of her clients are guilty. That shouldn't be an issue for her. She should declare that loud and clear. It's his stalking that is truly creepy and dangerous. His guilt is meaningless for her personally. Phil doesn't win any awards either. He should know better than to give in to his unrealistic jealousy. Don Johnson is the only one who nails it on the head. He is realistically charming and creepy at the same time. I still don't get every part of his convoluted scheme. A signature would be dissected in a dozen different ways. I would use his inherit charms by having his character seduce one of the jury. This is very much a marginal movie. I am giving this a marginally passing grade.

The movie is pretty straghtforward when it comes to the guilt (or not) of our main character (played by Don Johnson). Since there only is a yes or no to that answer, there are not brownie points if you guessed right before the early on revelation. But you need someone with the charisma of Don Johnson to carry the movie - and a lot of other actors to assist (Rebecca De Morney being the other main character).

As far as thrillers go this lives off the screen presence of the actors and their ability to convey anything. And maybe even make you root for someone you shouldn't. You should not root for a bad guy/gal, but since this is a movie, maybe you can at least partially feel that way without being a complete and utter bad person yourself.

Having said that, the end is quite gruesome and may take some out of the movie (maybe there was even an alternate take or end to this?) ... but it is true to what would happen in a situation like that ... and a nice throwback to what ignited all this ...

I distinctly remember going to see this in the cinema with a group of friends. I did not want to watch this as I knew it had got bad reviews but they won the vote so I had to go with them.

I also remember leaving the cinema after it ended almost in tears having realised that Sidney Lumet was reduced to directing this garbage. If I had a mobile phone in those days I would had probably called the Samaritans in the middle of the film.

Rebecca De Mornay plays a hot shot, win at all costs criminal defence lawyer who likes to win even for the most unlikeable and presumably guilty clients.

Don Johnson is the latest slimy client who wants her to defend him for killing his rich wife. Johnson is a ladies man with an unsavoury past and De Mornay doubts him and may have put herself in danger.

The film is rubbish. Lumet must have gone to Las Vegas and lost big in the casinos or a family member was ill and he needed to pay huge medical bills and therefore he needed money very badly. This is one of the best directors not to have won a Directing Oscar and you can never get over the realisation that a great talent is behind this film.

This movie is badly written, badly acted, badly made. Its actually tortuous viewing.