Customer Reviews

Find Me Guilty

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Find Me Guilty" is a comedic take on what was at the time the longest criminal trial in American history, the 1987-1988 trial of 20 members of the New Jersey Lucchese crime family on 76 charges under the RICO Act. Most of the courtroom testimony is taken from the real trial transcripts. The film focuses on Giacomo "Jackie" DiNorscio (Vin Diesel), called "Fat Jack" in real life, who, frustrated with his lawyer, insists on representing himself. Jackie is already serving a 30-year prison sentence for narcotics distribution, so the outcome of this trial is somewhat academic to him. Prosecutor Sean Kierney (Linus Roache) offers him a reduction in his current sentence in exchange for testimony at the RICO trial, but Jackie refuses to rat out his friends. Untrained in the law, Jackie's only defense is to make the jury like him more than they like the prosecutors. "A laughing jury is never a hanging jury," says defense attorney Ben Klandis (Peter Dinklage). "I'm not a gangster. I'm a gagster," says Jackie. And he puts on quite a show over the course of the 21-month trial.

"Find Me Guilty" does make light of Jackie's crimes, presenting him as a loyal, affable guy. It could hardly do otherwise, since Jackie made light of them, and he seems to have been a loyal, affable criminal. (Giacomo DiNorscio died while this movie was being filmed.) This obviously isn't a catalog of the Lucchese family's misdeeds. There were some very disreputable people on trial whose victims were not limited to their fellow Mafioso. "Find Me Guilty" is about Jackie's role in this long, remarkable trial. Vin Diesel does the best work of his career thus far. Perhaps due to his laconic, tough-guy image, Diesel can play Jackie's silliness, foolishness, and melodrama without the audience losing sight of his hoodlum toughness. He's a big presence that carries the film through courtroom testimony that might otherwise be tedious. DiNorscio is an interesting character, whose conviction that he must love his mob family, and they must love him, carried him through the trial and many years in prison. "Find Me Guilty"'s comedic approach to courtroom and mafia dramas is new and entertaining.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2006): "A Conversation with Sidney Lumet" (5 min) is a series of snippets in which director Lumet talks about meeting the real Jackie DiNorscio, Jackie's motives, and authenticity in the film. There is a theatrical trailer (2 ½ min) and 3 television spots for the film (30 sec. each), as well as a trailer for the 1992 movie "My Cousin Vinny" (1 ½ min). Subtitles for the film are available in English and Spanish.

Fans of "The Sopranos", "Goodfellas", Mafia and courtroom flicks will enjoy this fact-based (but probably not completely factual) look at the lengthiest RICO trail in American history starring Vin Diesel and directed by octogenarian Sidney Lumet.

Diesel plays New Jersey mobster Jack DiNorscio defending himself in the longest Mafia trial in U.S. history. Diesel is effective in the role as a disruptive force in judge Ron Silver's court. Alex Rocco, a Mafioso going back to "The Godfather" and through roles he played in TV's "Kojak", is the ring leader in the trial and the main guy the feds are after. Why DiNorscio became the focus of this movie is a question looking for an answer.

In any event, the courtroom "drama" is unlike most of what you see in this kind of movie. Diesel's character is uneducated, has little or no knowledge of courtroom requirements or decorum, and shows these shortcomings regularly through his inappropriate and often unbearable behavior as a litigator.

The other gangsters on trial turn against him after they come to view him as a force out for himself. Prosecutors too see him as a hazard insofar as his comedy act seems to appeal to jurors. True or not, you've probably never seen an attorney ask these kind of questions in court!

Ironically, the film lionizes DiNorscio as a heroic figure that carries out the Mafia credo of not ratting out a brother. Throughout the film he protests his love for his Cosa Nostra brethren, even when they are working against him, and continually states his case against being a rat. This, to me, was the principal theme of the film -- that this lowlife gangster was somehow a hero. The outcome of the movie seems also to support that view.

Several bit players from "The Sopranos", including Junior Soprano's lawyer and one of Tony Soprano's dead love interests, fill out the supporting cast in this New York production. This flick is probably at the level of "The Valachi Papers" but with a far different perspective. It has little of the sizzle of "Goodfellas" but is interesting in its courtroom scenes, where much of the script allegedly mimicked the real trial the went on for more than 500 days.

So fans of gangster and courtroom flicks can cast aside any doubt and go for this movie, which is probably the best characterization Vin Diesel has put on so far. He deservedly wasn't nominated for any awards for this but it shows he can do a bit more than simply play Vin Diesel on screen.

I had the pleasure of watching this film on opening weekend in Times Square in NY. I saw the trailers but wasn't really sure what to expect from Vin Diesel in a very different role. I have to say, that after about 10 minutes, I stopped seeing Vin Diesel in make up and totally bought into his portrayal of "Fat Jack" DiNorscio. There was a good bit of crass gangster humor, but I ate it up in the same way you would a naughty secret. Peter Dinklage was wonderful as a lead attorney (and yes, his height was a non-issue, because he is such a strong actor), Ron Silver's strength and sensitivity as the judge was excellent and Linus Roache as the prosecutor was engaging (I didn't know whether to cheer for or against him and he was the "good guy"). I can't even begin to speak of the supporting actors whose mob idiosyncrisies were wonderfully played. I only wish we could have seen more of Annabella Sciorra and Vin Diesel on screen together. They were powerful and had excellent chemistry. I can't wait for the DVD if only to hope there are deleted scenes of these two! Trust me, they'd be worth the price of the DVD alone.

Vin Diesel plays Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio, who in a strange turn of events defended himself in a Gangland Rico trial, that was the longest trial in US history. You can not tell if he is acting or joking thru is role

Sisney Lumet who directed Network, Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict and 12 Angry Men seems weak in this drama/comedy. He has made the courtroom seem so close and tight, you feel you need a breath of air every ten minutes.

I will say Lumet stocked the deck with great stock actors like Ron Silver (as a no nonsense, by the book judge), Peter Dinklage (as a defense attorney), Alex Rocco, and (the too short a role that needed to be padded) Annabella Sciorra. I just wish the script and direction was as good as the actors

This drama/comedy is strong of humor and weak on dramatic moments. One of the worst when the Judge tells Jackie he lost his mother is so weak for the acting timbers of Diesel and Silver. Lumet seem to have lacked pacing and direction in this film. This film could have been a great film, but it was not.

I give it 3 stars for the acting, it is worth it for that

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

Find Me Guilty - obviously a vehicle for jumpstarting Vin Diesel's "serious" acting career - is such an uneven film, and while it delivers up a few good laughs - especially in the first act - the film is profoundly short on drama and suspense, and it ultimately sinks under the weight of a leaden stodgy script, an overly long third part and an awkward, stilted performance by Diesel.

Part crime story and part-court room drama, Find Me Guilty is the real life story of New Jersey mobster named Jackie DiNorscio (Diesel) already serving time on a drug conviction, who in 1987 refused to turn state's witness against some 20 of his former associates in the Lucchese crime family.

There was obviously no love lost between Jackie and the Lucchese's, but Jackie consistently proves his loyalty and never turns against them. Fed up with his legal representation DiNorscio also chose to defend himself in what would become, at 21 months, the longest criminal trial in U.S. history.

As much of the action takes place within the courtroom the lawyers and mobsters - there's a whole table of defendants - all jockeying for position in an overcrowded courtroom with the ecstatically inexperienced Jackie mounting arguments based on wily good humor as he tries to win over the jury with his ribald and off-center jokes.

Directed by Sidney Lumet, Find Me Guilty is more intent to let the dialogue move the story along, using satire to present these beloved mobsters. We all know that these men are a bunch of crooks, intent to scam the system and even commit murder from time to time, but Lumet is more concerned with building their case on an amoral smugness, presenting them as a bunch of big, cuddly family men, who in the end, just want to be respected and loved.

There are some good supporting players here particularly Peter Dinklage who plays an eloquent dwarf attorney and who holds the courtroom rapt with his every utterance. And Annabella Sciorra shows up in a quick, charged turn as Jackie's former wife. The obnoxious lead government prosecutor played by Linus Roache injects some much-needed life into the proceedings, especially later on.

Ironically, the prosecutor is more insufferable and loathsome many of the mobsters. I guess that's why the jury reached the verdict they did and it also shows that the government can be just as ruthless as the people they attempt to bring to justice.

I feel a little sorry for poor Vin, he's obviously a competent actor, but in this case an overly talky script hampers him and unfortunately he has a voice that rarely rises about the monotone. He looks good with his hairpiece and you really believe he could be a mobster - and there's a priceless scene involving some flatulence and car windows - but the courtroom scenes prove that the role may have been just a little bit beyond him.

The script also leaves some important questions unanswered, such as the jury's verdict, and the movie always appear to be true even although much of the courtroom dialogue was taken from trial transcripts, but this doesn't mean the movie always rings true.

There are some fun moments - after a heart attack, one gangster attends the rest of the trial in a hospital bed and there's lots of irreverent profanity thrown every which way, but the film, which clocks in at just over two hours comes across as overlong and stodgy - a little bit like the trial itself - and in the end, you really have to wonder whether these guys were as funny as the move makes them out to be. Mike Leonard June 06.

This movie was a + in my book, definately recommend it. I normally can't watch more than 15 minutes of a courtroom flick, but this was really entertaining. Vin actually was acting and I don't think I saw his muscles once, not the norm and really made me appreciate him.

Duplicitous values and ethics pepper this fine little courtroom comedy drama, a Sidney Lumet special that has a carefully chosen cast of fine actors and a story based on fact (much of the script being lifted from actual courtroom transcriptions) that is both informative and entertaining and offers Vin Diesel the opportunity to test his chops at serious acting.

Other than the opening scene when Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio (Vin Diesel) is shot several times in his bedroom, the entire film takes place in jail cells and the courtroom that housed the longest criminal trial in American history. Jackie's fanatic devotion to the pledge never to rat on family or friends is put to the test in a case against several Mafioso characters. The trial is presided over by Judge Finestein (a superb Ron Silver) with prosecuting attorney Sean Kierney (Linus Roache in a strong departure from his usual screen characters) and among the defense attorneys is the lead attorney Ben Klandis (Peter Dinklage, once again proving he is a powerhouse of an actor). Jackie acts as his own attorney and this is the joy of the film: watching a good fella with a sixth grade education rely on his intuition and charisma with the jury to bring down a verdict thought impossible is not only a delight to see as a role for Diesel, but gains a respect for a character who at the outset seems far from deserving of same. The supporting roles include the consisitently fine Annabella Sciora as Jackie's ex-wife, Alex Rocco as the acerbic despicable Nick Calabrese, Raul Esparza as the perpetrator of the gunshots and the smarmy FBI rat witness against Jackie, and so many more.

In a film of this caliber it is odd that the sound editor did not have the courtesy to filter out the ambient courtroom noise that at times buries much of the softer, and very poignant dialogue. While we are in the courtroom (which is the major part of the film) the noise from the air conditioning, or camera gear or whatever just rumbles along intrusively. But even that technical faux pas doesn't diminish the work of Sidney Lumet nor dim the fine performance by Vin Diesel, complete with prosthetic additions to his body to make him appear more like the real life 'Fat Jack' than the hunks Diesel usually plays! Grady Harp, July 06

In an ambitious bid for credibility as a serious actor, Vin Diesel tries hard here, but despite his imposing physical stature, he just doesn't have either the finesse or the gravitas to carry off the role of Jackie DiNorscio, a pivotal member of the true-life New Jersey Lucchese crime family who have been brought to court on 76 charges of various crimes. This resulted in the longest criminal trial in U.S. history. No stranger to the courtroom (12 Angry Men, The Verdict), veteran filmmaker Sidney Lumet helmed this 2006 dramedy, and while some of his prowess is evident on the edges, the film is a relatively lifeless slog through the exhausting duration of the trial. Lumet, who co-wrote the script with T.J. Mancini and Robert J. McCrea, seems to think the story is compelling enough itself without having to invest much in terms of story structure to the production. It turns out to be a key error in judgment.

The problems start with the toupee-challenged Diesel who seems to be left out to dry by Lumet, as his lunk-headed, clownish presence makes DiNorscio's dilemma less than palpable. After refusing a plea bargain from hyper-obsessed federal prosecutor Sean Kierney, DiNorscio chooses to represent himself in court, and it would have taken a more outsized personality than Diesel's to emphasize the dramatic impact of this ploy. Fortunately, Lumet still shows an idiosyncratic sense in casting many of the other roles, and three actors stand out. First, Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent) lends a becalming authority to the role of one of the defense attorneys and as it turns out, the one ally DiNorscio can trust. That he is a dwarf comes up only when a platform is wheeled into the courtroom for him to provide arguments. Second, Annabella Sciorra has a powerful cameo as DiNorscio's embittered ex-wife whose visit with her cheating ex-husband becomes a chain-smoking rite of passage for her.

Finally, in his film debut, Broadway sensation Raúl Esparza (Company) plays the key role of DiNorscio's greasy, drug-addicted cousin Tony Compagna with surprising relish. His character's desperate act opens the film, but it's the brief climactic cross-examination scene that finally brings the trial to life with Tony visibly breaking down under the weight of his betrayal to DiNorscio. I just wish the rest of the movie was as involving. The usually low-key British actor Linus Roache is a surprising choice to play Kierney, and he provides the necessary bombast but with a wavering accent. The rest of the casting is more typical with Alex Rocco playing head gangster Nick Calabrese and Ron Silver as the often exasperated presiding judge. Lumet unwisely uses musical cues to punctuate the action, though the music often overwhelms the dialogue to the point of distraction. The DVD comes with just one extra, "Conversations with Sidney Lumet", which has been inexplicably broken up into multiple parts despite the cursory nature of Lumet's comments in each section.

Based on the longest mob trial in the US, Find Me Guilty is the real life story of Jackie DiNorscio (Vin Diesel), the cocaine dealer who refuses to rant on his `family', even on his cousin who tried to kill him. DiNorscio decision to defend himself irritates almost everyone.

Actors hold this movie, especially when they interact with each other. A memorable scene is one between the gigantic DiNorscio and the tiny lead defense attorney (the superb Peter Dinklage) after the obnoxious prosecutor (Linus Roache) admits to taking away DiNorscio favorite chair. Another is the evolving interaction between DiNorscio and Judge Finestein (Ron Silver). But the most surprising is Vin Diesel. Not supported by looks (adding 35 pounds and a belly to match), Vin Diesel acts with gawky gestures, dumbfound expressions, and an incredible control of his deep voice to tread the fine line between stupid and loveable. In Jackie DiNorscio, Vin Diesel shows there's a brain beneath the brawn.

It's a difficult movie to pin down. It doesn't have the dramatic ruthlessness of the Sopranos, nor the go-get-it action of a typical Vin Diesel movie, nor the comedian cheerfulness of The Pacifier. But it rolls, floats skillfully, like a conversation. It deals with friendship, but of the pitiful kind - all the bulky, chubby, dorky, and loyal DiNorscio wants is to be loved. Find Me Guilty is a hard movie to love, and yet I do.

"Find Me Guilty" is the story of the longest mob trial in American history. Although 20 members of the notorious New Jersey Lucchese crime family were indicted and tried together on 76 separate charges of racketeering and conspiracy under the RICO Act, director Sidney Lumet has made Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio (Vin Diesel) the centerpiece for the film--just as he became a focus in the newspapers covering the trial.

In one of the film's first scenes, DiNorscio is asleep in bed when his cousin comes into the room and shoots him. Waking up, DiNorscio sees his cousin and asks him: "Why are you doing this? I love you. We're family." Afterwards, recuperating in the hospital, Jackie Dee seems to bear no animosity towards his cousin, declaring that he is a junkie and can't help it, and that he loves him anyway. DiNorscio demonstrates a strange, all encompassing loyalty to both his immediate and his crime family. Already in the middle of serving a 30 year sentence for drug trafficking and possession, when DiNorscio is offered the chance to drastically cut his sentence by testifying against other members of his crime family, he doesn't hesitate in his decision to serve his full term rather than 'rat out' his friends.

Although possessing only a fifth grade education, the flamboyant DiNorscio decided to represent himself at trial. DiNorscio compensated for his lack of technical skill and procedural knowledge with a rough personal charisma and a rather "bad boy" sense of humor. Referring to himself as a "gagster, not a gangster," DiNorscio frequently managed to hijack the proceedings. (A prologue at the beginning of the film states that most of the dialogue during the courtroom scenes is lifted verbatim from the actual trial transcripts.) The trial itself was something of a spectacle. With 20 defendants and their respective counsel present at all times in the courtroom, the sheer volume of people at the defendants' table was staggering. On the downside, the film suffers from some of the same problems as the trial. The film is heavy with courtroom procedure and what seems to be endless testimony. I personally found this fascinating, but it may not be everyone's cup of tea. The memorable supporting cast includes Ron Silver as the presiding judge, Peter Dinklage as co-counsel Ben Klandis, and Linus Roache as Sean Kierney--the lead prosecuting attorney who has the thankless job of trying to get the jury to see how dangerous these men are.

At the end of the film, the audience is left with some very conflicted feelings. In essence, you find yourself rooting for the bad guys--not fictitious bad guys--but real life career criminals whose trial is presented in film form. Vin Diesel delivers a wonderfully poignant and layered performance as the complex and difficult Jackie Dee.