Abacus: Small Enough to Jail

The personalities make the picture, and James' camera presence is such that "Abacus" never seems to gin up or theatricalize anyone's thoughts or behavior.

"Abacus" is probably the only film made in the past decade that could get an audience rooting for a bank, but it does just that.

When Steve James's documentary suggests that Abacus was the victim of a concerted Establishment plot... it doesn't have quite enough evidence for a conviction, but it is an absorbing study of the court case, the bank and Chinatown itself.

Despite many legal aspects of the film, the documentary remains a very human story of resilience and standing up for one’s rights, beliefs and integrity.