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Vin Diesel, Peter Dinklage, Linus Roache, Ron Silver, Alex Rocco ... see more see more... , Annabella Sciorra , Raul Esparza , Richard Portnow , Aleksa Palladino , Domenick Lombardozzi , James Biberi , Paul Borghese , Ben Lipitz , David Brown

A wise guy turns his own trial upside down by serving as his own lawyer in this comedy drama based on a true story. In 1987, an extensive investigation into the activities of the Lucchese crime family... read more read more... led to charges being filed against most of the key members of the gang, leading to the prosecution of 20 different men, each represented by their own council. That is, except for Giacomo DiNorscio, aka Jackie Dee (Vin Diesel), a longtime Lucchese family "mechanic" implicated in everything from kidnapping to drug dealing. While Jackie Dee is obviously a common criminal and guilty of all he's charged with, he also has a fierce sense of loyalty to his colleagues, despite the fact his cousin Tony Companga (Raul Esparza) previously tried to kill him out of fear he might talk. Sean Kierney (Linus Roache), the prosecutor tackling the Lucchese Family case, tries repeatedly to persuade Jackie Dee to testify against his partners in exchange for leniency, but he stubbornly refuses. Tired of the way things are being handled, Jackie Dee informs family attorney Ben Klandis (Peter Dinklage) that he intends to represent himself in court; this seemingly suicidal move turns into an unexpected success as Jackie Dee's sense of humor and streetwise charm has a remarkable impact on the judge and jury. Find Me Guilty also stars Ron Silver, Alex Rocco, and Annabella Sciorra. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

52% liked it

57,531 ratings

Critics

61% liked it

104 critics

R, 2 hr. 4 min.

Directed by: Sidney Lumet

Release Date: March 17, 2006

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DVD Release Date: June 27, 2006

Stats: 1,497 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,497)

  • allan913
    September 22, 2009
    allan913
    An outragious, compelling, intelligent, powerful and unforgettable movie. Totally gripping, surprisingly moving and relentlessly enjoyable. It's a brilliant, thrilling, riveting and satisfying film. Wickedly funny and magnificent from start to finish. Vin Diesel is sensational, h... read moreis best performance in year's and possiably of his career. Diesel proves to be more than a race car action hero, this man has talent and I hope he shows more of it in the years to come. Peter Dinklage and Linus Roache give equally impressive and fantastic performances. A teriffic new movie. A court room drama that mixes the gangster genres and wicked humor to create a marvelously entertaining movie and it's all true. The humor works just as great as the drama. It's wonderfully performend and cleverly written from actual courtroom statement. Another masterpiece from veteran film Director, Sidney Lumet. After all these year's he sure does know how to deliver a great film.
  • fb619846742
    August 25, 2009
    fb619846742
    An original, watchable movie with shades of "My Cousin Vinny" appearing here and there, making this an entertaining two hours, anchored in large part due to the strong, realistic performance by Vin Diesel. For all of Diesel's critics, watch this movie, this film proves that this ... read moreguy can act, as well as carry a film. Peter Dinklage is an excellent choice for the role of the lawyer as well, I really think that if he were of normal size, he'd be a very coveted actor. What's cool about this movie is that you don't know how it'll end, it's hard to tell if it's going to go the happy or depressing route.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    November 20, 2008
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "Sometimes the best defense. . . is a wiseguy."

    A wise guy turns his own trial upside down by serving as his own lawyer in this comedy drama based on a true story. In 1987, an extensive investigation into the activities of the Lucchese crime family led to charges being fi... read moreled against most of the key members of the gang, leading to the prosecution of 20 different men, each represented by their own council. That is, except for Giacomo DiNorscio, aka Jackie Dee (Vin Diesel), a longtime Lucchese family "mechanic" implicated in everything from kidnapping to drug dealing. While Jackie Dee is obviously a common criminal and guilty of all he's charged with, he also has a fierce sense of loyalty to his colleagues, despite the fact his cousin Tony Companga (Raul Esparza) previously tried to kill him out of fear he might talk. Sean Kierney (Linus Roache), the prosecutor tackling the Lucchese Family case, tries repeatedly to persuade Jackie Dee to testify against his partners in exchange for leniency, but he stubbornly refuses. Tired of the way things are being handled, Jackie Dee informs family attorney Ben Klandis (Peter Dinklage) that he intends to represent himself in court; this seemingly suicidal move turns into an unexpected success as Jackie Dee's sense of humor and streetwise charm has a remarkable impact on the judge and jury.

    Review
    I found Diesel's act quite moving. He captured the essence of the character and its complexity. Sidney Lumet's earlier film Dog Day Afternoon deals with the same issue of protagonists who defy police authority and the law, while the crowd (here the jury) sympathies with them instead of the prosecutors, the police and the law. By this, we get a strong post-modern statement by Lumet. Can we judge criminals? Is there a single truth? Lumet claims that there are several. I tend to disagree, but the fact is, that is an aspect of human nature in which we would like to defy law and order, to break the foundation of our society and to set our minds free.
  • tsigur
    October 22, 2008
    tsigur
    Not a bad little film. Vin Diesel is charming and, actually, watchable in the movie. He does a good job with the character and there was a certain scene where I was really impressed. But I am a sucker for Lumet and believe that he could get a good performance from anyone. This pr... read moreoves it. Sure, there are things that bother me (the fact that the whole movie is about getting off mobsters just because some of them are "good guys" kind of pissed me off), but, all and all, it's not a bad watch. I particularly liked Linus Roach and Alex Rocco who were great in their roles and there are some really funny scenes with the mobsters they been using since Goodfellas.
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    May 28, 2007
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    Great, very underrated film. Vin Diesel's best performance.
  • flickfever
    October 13, 2006
    flickfever
    I never thought I'd say this, but Vin Diesel can act. I mean, it's not an oscar-worthy performance, but he can sure act! This movie find his character, Jackie Dinorsio, in a huge case against him and he decides to defend himself. He's a quirky, loud-mouthed, sleezy gangster who i... read mores defending himself in a criminal case and does it so well and with a great deal of humor. The movie gets a bit tedious at the end, but it's a good payoff and I congratulate Mr. Diesel for finally being able to enunciate his lines.
  • gator681
    April 14, 2007
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]In "Find Me Guilty", Jackie DiNorscio(Vin Diesel, giving an appealing performance) is shot four times by his cousin and lives(further proof that some activities should not be performed while on drugs) but does not inform on him because he is family. That phi... read morelosophy holds true when Jackie refuses a deal from ambitious federal prosecutor Sean Kierney(Linus Roache) to testify against his cronies in a RICO trial in exchange for his thirty year drug trafficking sentence to be reduced.[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]At the trial, Jackie acts as his own lawyer, feeling that he could do better than the incompetent and corrupt counsel he has employed lately. On the other hand, he did sleep through his last trial...[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]Based on a true story and utilizing the actual trial testimony, "Find Me Guilty" is a wry indictment of the criminal justice system(I allow for a certain amount of wasteful spending by the government but this is ridiculous) and a refreshing antidote to television shows such as "Law and Order" where everything is black and white. Here, things are a little more gray. Jackie is not dumb, just uneducated and it is interesting to think what his life would have been like under different circumstances. He is also the only character who cares about somebody other than himself, while his co-defendants are only worried about their own skin. [/font]
  • qtmemoe
    September 18, 2007
    qtmemoe
    Kind of slow but amazingly, Vin Deisel can actually ACT!!! Don't believe me, watch this one.
  • acenate
    May 10, 2007
    acenate
    Not nearly as funny as the DVD case purports it to be, but an interesting look at a historic trial nonetheless. It's decidedly pro-mafia, though, which is a little off-putting.
  • benjaminzapata
    October 24, 2011
    benjaminzapata
    Sidney Lumet has made more than forty films since his debut in 1957 with his first masterpiece "12 Angry Men". He has been nominated for the Oscar as best director five times,this includes "12 Angry Men" in 1957,"Dog Day Afternoom" in 1975,"Network" in 1976,"Prince of the City" i... read moren 1981,and "The Verdict" in 1982. As you can see,he has steady themes:the fragility of justice and the police and their corruption. He can deliver powerhouse performances from lead actors,and fine work from character actors,as in this case he did with Vin Diesel,who gives a wonderful,transformative performance as real-life N.J. gangster "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio,who decides to defend himself in a record-breaking Federal case against the Lucchese crime family in 1987-88. This awesome courtroom-mob saga is impeccably cast and directed with brio by Sidney Lumet,who also cowrote the screenplay,and if I'm not wrong he was 82 years old when he make this lively film.

View All Find Me Guilty Reviews

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore
March 31, 2006
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's hard to do anything in court that hasn't been done before. It's a static situation, and points are scored in tiny increments. No big witness-stand breakdowns, no tearful confessions. Thus, boredo... Full Review

Andrew Sarris
March 29, 2006
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

[Lumet's] crowning masterpiece. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
March 25, 2006
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

As Vin Diesel plays him in a likable, image-adjusting turn -- prosthetically fat, thick of Jersey accent -- Jackie (who died in 2004) was about as sweet as a career criminal can be. Full Review

Kirk Honeycutt
March 25, 2006
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

A film guilty off moral stupidity and misguided hero worship.

Roger Ebert
March 25, 2006
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

This movie by its nature is not thrilling, but it is very genuinely interesting, and that is rare. Full Review

J. R. Jones
March 25, 2006
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

This may be the most Brechtian thing Lumet has ever done -- a movie that repeatedly challenges us to think and then to reconsider. Full Review

Claudia Puig
March 24, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Sitting through the belabored courtroom drama Find Me Guilty feels like a particularly prolonged session of jury duty. Full Review

Rex Reed
March 22, 2006
Rex Reed, New York Observer

Excellent, polished, meticulously researched and entirely galvanizing.

Richard Roeper
March 20, 2006
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

For the first time in years Vin Diesel has a project that reminds us why he was tabbed to be a movie star in the first place. Full Review

Michael Phillips
March 20, 2006
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

Minor but well-crafted. Full Review

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  • I what movie does Vin Diesel play Jackie Dinorsio?   Answer »
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  • What connects these movies : Boiler Room, Pitch Black, Knock Around Guys, Find Me Guilty, The Pacifier ?  Answer »
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