Our team compiled the best lawyer movies and here is what they came up with
Lawyer movies are a popular genre that focus on the legal profession and the cases that lawyers take on. These movies often depict the legal system and its workings, as well as the challenges that lawyers face in their work. Examples of popular lawyer movies include “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “A Few Good Men,” “The Verdict,” and “Philadelphia.” These movies often feature strong performances by leading actors, and they can be dramatic, comedic or a mix of both. Lawyer movies also often portray the moral and ethical dilemmas that lawyers may face in their work, and they can provide an interesting insight into the legal system and its workings. They usually depict the life and work of lawyers, and the legal process in a dramatic and engaging way.
Here are the 18 best lawyer movies to check out on the streaming service.
1. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
This drama film directed by Robert Mulligan, is based on Harper Lee’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a young girl, Scout Finch, and her father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer who defends a black man falsely accused of rape in the 1930s. The film was critically acclaimed and won three Academy Awards. MPAA Rating: Not Rated. Box office: $13.5 million (adjusted for inflation)
2. A Few Good Men (1992)
This drama film directed by Rob Reiner, tells the story of a military lawyer who defends two Marines accused of murder. The film was a commercial success and was nominated for four Academy Awards. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $243 million (adjusted for inflation)
3. The Verdict (1982)
This drama film directed by Sydney Lumet, tells the story of a down-on-his-luck lawyer who takes on a medical malpractice case. The film was critically acclaimed and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $53 million (adjusted for inflation)
4. The Rainmaker (1997)
This drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is based on John Grisham’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a young lawyer who takes on a big insurance company in a case involving a fraudulent policy. The film was a moderate box office success and received positive reviews. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Box office: $45 million (adjusted for inflation)
5. My Cousin Vinny (1992)
This comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, tells the story of a New Yorker who becomes a lawyer to defend his cousin in a murder trial in the South. The film was a commercial success and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $91 million (adjusted for inflation)
6. The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
This crime drama film directed by Brad Furman, is based on Michael Connelly’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a criminal defense attorney who conducts business from the back of his Lincoln Towncar. The film was a moderate box office success and received positive reviews. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $87 million (adjusted for inflation)
7. Erin Brockovich (2000)
This biographical film directed by Steven Soderbergh, tells the true story of a legal clerk who helps a law firm build a case against a California power company accused of contaminating a city’s water supply. The film was a commercial success and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $256 million (adjusted for inflation)
8. The Paper Chase (1973)
This drama film directed by James Bridges, is based on John Jay Osborn Jr.’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a first-year law student and his relationship with his strict contract law professor. The film was a moderate box office success and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score. MPAA Rating: PG. Box office: $10 million (adjusted for inflation)
9. The Firm (1993)
This legal thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack, is based on John Grisham’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a young lawyer who joins a prestigious law firm only to discover that it has links to the mob. The film was a commercial success and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $270 million (adjusted for inflation)
10. The Pelican Brief (1993)
This legal thriller film directed by Alan J. Pakula, is based on John Grisham’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a law student who uncovers a conspiracy involving the murders of two Supreme Court justices. The film was a commercial success and received positive reviews. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Box office: $195 million (adjusted for inflation)
11. The Client (1994)
This legal thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, is based on John Grisham’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a young boy who hires a lawyer to protect him from the mob after he witnesses a murder. The film was a commercial success and received positive reviews. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Box office: $117 million (adjusted for inflation)
12. The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
This supernatural thriller film directed by Taylor Hackford, tells the story of a young lawyer who is recruited to work for a prestigious law firm, only to discover that his boss is Satan. The film was a moderate box office success and received mixed reviews. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $156 million (adjusted for inflation)
13. Michael Clayton (2007)
This legal thriller film directed by Tony Gilroy, tells the story of a “fixer” at a large law firm who is tasked with cleaning up a colleague’s mess after he becomes embroiled in a scandal. The film was a moderate box office success and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $92 million (adjusted for inflation)
14. The Social Network (2010)
This drama film directed by David Fincher, tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook, including the legal battles he faced with former business partners. The film was a commercial success and won three Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Box office: $224 million (adjusted for inflation)
15. The Judge (2014)
This drama film directed by David Dobkin, tells the story of a successful lawyer who returns to his hometown for his mother’s funeral and is forced to confront his estranged father, a judge who is accused of murder. The film received mixed reviews but was a moderate box office success. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $87 million (adjusted for inflation)
16. The Whistleblower (2010)
This drama film directed by Larysa Kondracki, tells the true story of a police officer who becomes a whistleblower after discovering corruption and human rights violations within the United Nations peacekeeping force. The film was a moderate box office success and received positive reviews. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $3 million (adjusted for inflation)
17. The Accused (1988)
This drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan, tells the story of a young woman who is gang-raped in a bar and the lawyer who takes on her case. The film was a commercial success and was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Jodie Foster. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $41 million (adjusted for inflation)
18. The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
This biographical film directed by Miloš Forman, tells the story of the life and legal battles of Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt. The film was a moderate box office success and was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Woody Harrelson. MPAA Rating: R. Box office: $50 million (adjusted for inflation)