I've seen every urban political drama known to man. I know every cliche and anticipate every well established turn of phrase. This movie was not so much written as it was assembled, cobbled together out of dozen other, similar movies.
However, by the end, I was left with a number of questions: 1. who was informing the mob about John Cusack's investigatorial breakthroughs? 2. what was the purpose of Bridgit Fonda in this movie? 3. where did the original copy of the probation report come from? Why had it even been saved? 4. Why did Judge Stern resign for taking bribes, when we later learn that the Mayor had been giving him orders? Did he bend the rules for the bribes, or for the Mayor? 5. Why did Al Pacino (who is from New York) have such an awkward sounding Queens accent? I mean, John Cusack had an excuse for the lousy Louisiana accent -- he's from Illinois.
However, by the end, I was left with a number of questions: 1. who was informing the mob about John Cusack's investigatorial breakthroughs? 2. what was the purpose of Bridgit Fonda in this movie? 3. where did the original copy of the probation report come from? Why had it even been saved? 4. Why did Judge Stern resign for taking bribes, when we later learn that the Mayor had been giving him orders? Did he bend the rules for the bribes, or for the Mayor? 5. Why did Al Pacino (who is from New York) have such an awkward sounding Queens accent? I mean, John Cusack had an excuse for the lousy Louisiana accent -- he's from Illinois.