Find Me Guilty (2006)

61% of critics liked it
(104 reviews)
52% of users liked it
(57,535 ratings)

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… More 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, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 4 min.
Directed By: Sidney Lumet
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 17, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Jun 27, 2006
Studio: Yari Film Group

Critic Reviews

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, boredom creeps in.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
[Lumet's] crowning masterpiece.
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.
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.
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
A film guilty off moral stupidity and misguided hero worship.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This movie by its nature is not thrilling, but it is very genuinely interesting, and that is rare.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
If watching a jury disregard mountains of damning evidence in favor of a charismatic gangster who calls himself a "gagster" seems a morally challenging proposition, well that's all part of the bargain in Lumet's topical drama.
Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media
Dumb Vin Diesel gangster movie isn't for kids.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
... a most unsatisfactory release for a movie that deserved much better.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
What on the surface seems like a regular court drama with a little humor thrown in for good measure actually works as a wicked satire on the American judicial system.
Prairie Miller, WBAI Web Radio
Could not be more relevant at a repressive time in US history when the erosion and abuse of civil rights of those presumed guilty is nearly as big an issue as the plight of the innocent.
Prairie Miller, WBAI Web Radio
Could not be more relevant at a repressive time in US history when the erosion and abuse of civil rights of those presumed guilty is nearly as big an issue as the plight of the innocent.
Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal International
Manages to crackle along in lively fits and starts of nasty profanity and very bad but all too credible behavior.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Vin Diesel gives a perfect performance.
Richard Mowe, Boxoffice Magazine
Lumet orchestrates the machinations with the confidence of a master, but even he cannot quite manage to sustain the interest for the protracted arguments to run their course.
Todd Jorgenson, Denton Record Chronicle (TX)
...more reminiscent of a glorified Perry Mason episode than a return to form for the filmmaker.
Rubin Safaya, Cinemalogue.com
We could have done just as well to watch the proceedings on Court TV -- free, as it were, to flip channels or get up for a snack and skip the parts that disinterest us, rather than be held hostage by 125 minutes of drive-by clichés.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
as everyone knows, putting a self-serious egomaniacal movie star in a bad hairpiece is comedy gold.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
Find Me Guilty, like the justice system it portrays, ultimately works a great deal better than you might expect.
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
The best way to enjoy Find Me Guilty is to view it as an indictment of the jury system.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Al S

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,… More
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, his 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.
Dan S

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… More
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 guy 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.
Lorenzo v

"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… More
"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 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. 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.
Tim S

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 proves… More
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 proves 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.
Michael S

Great, very underrated film. Vin Diesel's best performance.
Rico Z

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… More
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 is 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.
Walter M

[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.… More
[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 philosophy 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]
Miriam K

Kind of slow but amazingly, Vin Deisel can actually ACT!!! Don't believe me, watch this one.
Nate H

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.