With Al Pacino starring and Norman Jewison directing, the Joe Wizan presentation for Columbia release socks across an often scathing, surprisingly funny and constantly terrifying scan of today's judicial system

Justice is seldom as deep or trenchant as it wants to be, but there's abundant pleasure to be gleaned from skating along its surfaces.

Attempts to alternate between comedy and drama, handling neither one incompetently, but also not excelling at either task.

Al Pacino, noisy and effective, yet totally out of control, as a disillusioned Baltimore lawyer, gets to grandstand shamelessly; he gives the movie what little power it has, but the performance is all hollow showmanship.