Legalese (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Glenn Jordan

Writer (WGA):

Billy Ray (written by)

Release Date:

4 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Romance

Plot:

When a sexy actress is charged with murder, a charming celebrity lawyer uses trickery to defend her against the press as well as the prosecution.

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Attorney | Unfaithful Husband | Sister Sister Relationship | Microphone

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Garner	...	Norman Keane
Gina Gershon	...	Angela Beale
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Rica Martin
Edward Kerr	...	Roy Guyton
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Roy's Father
Kathleen Turner	...	Brenda Whitlass
Scott Michael Campbell	...	Randy Mucklan
Keene Curtis	...	Judge Handley
Matthew Glave	...	Kurt Lee
Hy Anzell
Tyrees Allen	...	Rod Brooks
Randall Arney	...	Dean Davis
Darcy Belsher	...	Reggie
Brent Briscoe	...	Cashen Depps
Frank Buckley	...	KCAL Channel 9 Reporter

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality.

Runtime:

92 min | Netherlands:105 min | Germany:89 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Television

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The pro-gun group's spokesman praises the "4th Amendment" as protecting Beale's right to own a gun. The right to keep and bear arms is protected by the 2nd Amendment (the 4th amendment provides protection against unreasonable searches).

Quotes:

Norman Keane: Give me a rundown please.
Rica Martin: Three seasons on "My Two Moms," one Van Damme movie, now, apples.

Overplayed

Angela Beale a famous actress is charged with murdering her violent husband . The problem with this premise is that the very first scene sees Angela acting all strange as she bangs on doors telling everyone she killed her husband , though maybe that's not accurate . Maybe I should be saying the actress playing Angela - Gina Gershon - gives a masterclass in how to mug and over act for the camera in order for the audience to know that maybe she didn't kill her husband in self defence

That's the problem with LEGALSESE it's ridiculously overplayed , so much so that you have to turn off the sound and avoid looking at the screen to stop the performances assaulting your senses . Bob Hoskins said that the camera can read your mind and it's true so why didn't the cast in this movie realise this ?

I notice that the screen credits say Glenn Jordan was the director while Billy Ray wrote the script but since TNT was the TV company that produced this I have the feeling LEGALSESE was the brain child of Ted Turner . The villain of the story is Norman Keane . Is he a surrogate Rupert Murdoch by any chance ? No doubt this TVM is trying to be satirical but for satire to work via a narrative story subtlety is needed and there's no subtlety in sight - Only very loud acting