I've practiced law for 30 years. I've never seen any courtroom drama (except for perhaps "To Kill a Mockingbird") that comes anywhere close to this film in terms of brutal authenticity. The gut-wrenching hollowness that sinks into you with the deliberately unsatisfying ending is SO REAL and SO TRUE of a demonstration of how "the system" really functions, as to leave you in tears. The film is a beautifully crafted, unparalleled indictment of the fundamentally screwed-up justice system in this fundamentally screwed-up country. Whitaker is wonderful, and never gives away the truth of his character (whatever that might be). Anthony LaPaglia as the defense attorney is remarkable, as it the script. Rosie Perez's performance is of an intensity that is typical of the actress... she is never insincere, and, whether you're convinced by her obviously contrived sympathetic rantings or not, you WANT to believe her. The film is an un3expected gem with stunning performance all around

Dry account of the procedural path from crime to arrest to trial. This made for HBO movie is OK if not totally engaging.The major fault does not lie in the execution of the realistic portrayal but in the realistic problem of the overloaded court system. It is not overstated or made to be entertaining and so we have a picture as plodding as the procedure.The ending is bit of a letdown, however, as the stats show before the credits roll, ultimately right on realistic. It is that realism that handcuff this from being any more than a chronological account of an inherently involved process that leaves little to the imagination and a lot to the non-exciting plea bargain processes.A good primer for pre law students but at best an easy homework assignment for the rest of us.

The synopsis/summary and the other two reviews gave the plot and basics of the story. I wanted to add that, as a former Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney, I found this film the most realistic depiction of a criminal case I've ever seen. All of the elements were accurate, including the heavy caseloads of the public defender and assistant D.A., the difficulty of working with witnesses, and the mechanics of trial and pre-trial preparation. I have to disagree with the reviewer (oeoaa) who thought the movie copped out at the end or that it revealed that the accused, Jesse Williams, was the actual rapist. I felt that the ending was still ambiguous regarding the accused's guilt. What it did was show was that, when faced with the actual reality of a trial where a guilty jury verdict would have meant a much harsher sentence, the accused decides to take the lighter plea. This is a very common result. Defendants often wait until the last possible moment to see the strength of the prosecutor's case and whether the complaining witness (i.e. the victim) will show up or prove to be a poor witness.

"Criminal Justice" is a journeyman quasi-docudrama TV flick which takes the viewer step-by-step through the US criminal justice system from crime to punishment. The film breaks down the whole let's-make-a-deal process using a Brooklyn N.Y. robbery/assault case as an example in which the players are Whitaker as the accused; LaPaglia as the public defender; Perez as the victim; and Gray as the Asst. D.A. The film plays no favorites as it takes a didactic and dispassionate look at the problems facing both sides in a case where justice must be dispensed even though no one, including the audience, knows who committed the crime. "Criminal Justice" is an earnest project which is more interesting than entertaining and is worth a look by anyone with an interest in the title subject. (B-)