Directed by:
David MametScreenplay:
David MametCinematography:
Juan Ruiz AnchíaComposer:
Marcelo ZarvosCast:
Al Pacino, Helen Mirren, Jeffrey Tambor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, James Tolkan, Martin Jarvis, Natalia Nogulich, David Aaron Baker, Matt Malloy, Yolonda Ross (more)Plots(1)
Los Angeles, 2007. As the trial of music producer Phil Spector (Al Pacino) for the 2003 death of actress Lana Clarkson approaches, attorney Linda Kenney Baden (Helen Mirren) agrees to join Spector’s defense team, headed by lead attorney Bruce Cutler (Jeffrey Tambor). Linda has her first meeting with Spector at his mansion, and observes the ornate and idiosyncratic décor in which the equally unconventional music legend makes his home. Despite Spector’s eccentricities, Linda finds herself intrigued by Spector and the challenges of the trial. She decides to continue working with the defense team and to take another look at the evidence being presented and the circumstances surrounding the case. In building her defense, Linda explores how to get a jury to consider the possibility that reasonable doubt exists. Having witnessed Phil’s proclivity for erratic behavior, Linda and the rest of the defense team must consider the merits of putting him on the stand. Although he wishes to testify in his own defense, it is determined that Phil’s testimony could do more harm than good, despite the knowledge that Spector’s silence could spell defeat for the defense team and send their client to prison. (HBO UK)
(more)Reviews (2)
A new (or relatively new) film, and when watching it, it occurred to me from start to finish how unreservedly great an actor Al Pacino is, and what a joy it is to watch him, and we haven’t seen this for a long time. The last time perhaps was in 2010, when You Don't Know Jack came into being. Maybe it's a coincidence that both films were made by HBO, maybe not. Anyway, Pacino also found himself in Phil Spector, showing off something unreal and once again having perfect teammates with Helen Mirren in the lead. The script, using ingeniously written monologues and dialogues, leaves the viewer balancing in doubt the same time as Spector's defense lawyer, only to not explain anything in the ending and letting us decide on our own whether he has reasonable suspicion or not, and what he actually believes (or wants to believe).
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The purpose of this film isn’t to like its main characters, because that certainly won’t happen, but it demonstrates the acting skills of Al Pacino and Helen Mirren. And that’s about it.
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