Ben Lipitz Movies
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 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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vin Diesel, Peter Dinklage, (more)
- 1999
One of the most highly anticipated episodes of Law & Order's ninth season, "Empire" guest starred Hollywood luminary Julia Roberts (then the girlfriend of series regular Benjamin Bratt) in a story of corporate intrigue and murder. A millionaire dies just after investing in a spectacular new sports arena to be built by entrepreneur Julian Spector (Daniel Hugh Kelly). It turns out that the dead man succumbed to the aftereffects of a sex-enhancing drug. Enter professional fund-raiser Katrina Ludlow (Julia Roberts), who claims she has evidence that will lead to the victim's killer. But there's a catch: Katrina will deliver that evidence only to detective Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt), a proviso that leads to unforeseen complications in court. Julia Roberts won an Emmy award for her performance in this, the 201st episode of Law & Order (advertised as "Episode 200" by NBC due to a technicality involving the series' pilot). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
