25 Best Lawyer Movies Of All Time Ranked

Brad Furman's "The Lincoln Lawyer" is a great way to kick off this list, as it's a good baseline example of the legal drama genre done well. Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Connelly, "The Lincoln Lawyer" stars Matthew McConaughey as criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller — a divorced, mildly disgruntled lawyer who works from the backseat of a mobile Lincoln Town Car instead of a normal legal office.

The story of "The Lincoln Lawyer" involves the casual cruelty of privileged men and the moral dilemma implicit in defending someone who is clearly guilty — two themes that show up frequently in the genre. McConaughey's Haller is tasked with defending a rich young man charged with assault, only to unearth that this crime is merely the latest in a pattern of violent behavior. How does he solve the situation? The only way Hollywood lawyers know how to solve anything: by acting more like a detective than a lawyer and bending the law in order to uphold its spirit. There is a fantastical amount of action in "The Lincoln Lawyer," but that's the kind of embellishment that makes for a fun, pulpy courtroom drama. Furman's film sticks very close to the genre blueprint, but it pulls all the beats off quite well.

Not every great lawyer movie has to be serious, right?

"Legally Blonde" has attained what few legal dramas ever have: the creation of a popular franchise. At this point, the film may be just as well known for the Broadway musical adaptation as for the movie that spawned it. But because this is a list of films, and not musicals, let's talk about Reese Witherspoon in the year 2001. "Legally Blonde" follows Harvard law student Elle Woods, an unlikely and seemingly ditzy girl with a lot of money and basically no respect. Over the course of the movie, Elle ends up playing a pivotal role in solving a murder case, proving the simple lesson that you should never judge a book by its cover.

Of course, "Legally Blonde" isn't so fondly remembered because of its gripping courtroom scenes. The movie is beloved because it's kooky, and fun, and it doesn't take itself too seriously. Witherspoon delivers the caliber of spotlight-demanding performance that made her a superstar in the early 2000s, and the supporting cast of Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, and Jennifer Coolidge are all entertaining as well. It might not have the highest critical scores in the genre (per Metacritic), but "Legally Blonde" was a box office phenomenon that has remained remarkably popular over the years for its sheer fun factor.

Sometimes, all you need to make a good movie is a strong story and a likable protagonist, and it's hard to find a better example of either in modern legal history than the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "On the Basis of Sex" stars Felicity Jones as Ginsburg in the years preceding her time on the U.S. Supreme Court, primarily focusing on the famous Moritz v. Commissioner case that established discrimination on the basis of sex as being unconstitutional.

"On the Basis of Sex" was reviewed well upon release (via Rotten Tomatoes), but as some critics noted, it succeeds more because of its source material than because of the cinematic execution. Make no mistake, Jones is great in the lead role, and the film has a solid script, but when working with a historical figure like RBG, it's sometimes better to just let history do the talking. The legal drama genre is full of murder cases and overly dramatic stories of justice. "On the Basis of Sex" provides a breath of fresh air by focusing instead on the ways in which case law and legal precedent can significantly change society for the better. It's an inspiring story well told, and one that avoids some of the more soapy tropes of popular courtroom dramas.

Starring Susan Sarandon in an Oscar-nominated performance, "The Client" is a movie about the people who get caught up against their will in the occasionally violent throes of the American legal system. Based on the novel of the same name by John Grisham, Sarandon plays lawyer Regina Love, hired to represent an 11-year-old boy (Brad Renfro) after he witnesses the death of a mob affiliate. A different attorney, played by Tommy Lee Jones, tries to pressure the boy into revealing sensitive information confessed to him by the dead man, endangering him and his family in the process.

"The Client" is a story that struggles with the question of what doing the right thing really means. Sarandon, Jones, and the young Renfro are all exceptional, and the film earned significant critical praise upon its release, with Peter Travers of Rolling Stone calling it "A high-voltage charge of suspense, action and humor." Out of all the feature film adaptations of Grisham's books that have been made, "The Client" might just be the best.

Based on the novel by Scott Turrow, 1990's "Presumed Innocent" is a classic example of the courtroom drama genre executed with style, precision and high craft. The film stars Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Raul Julia, Bonnie Bedelia, Paul Winfield, and Greta Scacchi, with a tight screenplay from Frank Pierson and director Alan J. Pakula. And while it may not have been nominated for any Academy Awards, "Presumed Innocent" did earn high critical praise across the board and grossed over $220 million worldwide on a budget of just $20 million.

The story of "Presumed Innocent" follows prosecutor Rusty Sabich (Ford), who is accused of murdering a work colleague with whom he once had a brief extramarital affair. The case takes several twists and turns over the course of the film's two-hour runtime, with plenty of hidden agendas and big twists to keep viewers on their toes until the final moments. It's not the most original story or the most groundbreaking film thematically, but "Presumed Innocent" succeeds by pulling off all the touchstones of the genre with exceptional execution. Every performance is grounded, nuanced, and intriguing, the script is tight and taut with tension, and the direction keeps the pace high and the mystery riveting until the credits finally roll. If you're a diehard fan of courtroom dramas, there's a good chance you've already seen "Presumed Innocent," but if you haven't, now is the time.

Jonathan Demme's "Philadelphia" is one of the most lauded lawyer movies of the past few decades, earning Tom Hanks his first Oscar win for Best Actor and accruing numerous other nominations from the Writers Guild of America, the Golden Globes, and more. The film stars Hanks as Andrew Beckett, a hotshot lawyer who is quickly and mysteriously dismissed from his firm after showing up to work with visible signs of AIDS, having previously kept the fact that he is gay a secret from his coworkers. He seeks legal recompense and compensation for his dismissal on the grounds that it was openly discriminatory, with fellow lawyer Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) representing him.

When "Philadelphia" premiered in theaters in 1993, the AIDS crisis was still running rampant. Death tolls were holding strong, misinformation about the disease and homophobic propaganda were everywhere, and most of the stories that had attempted to explore the epidemic previously were centered on straight characters (via Smithsonian Magazine). The strong critical reception and impressive box office performance of "Philadelphia" turned it into a conversation starter, prompting discussion of discrimination and forcing viewers to look hard at how the LGBTQ+ community was being ravaged and ignored at the same time.

Today, the film holds up quite well, though its straight star and relatively limited view of LGBTQ+ identities stand out a bit. Hanks is great, Washington is great, and the whole story is told with an elegant blend of dramatic style and unshakeable emotional weight.

Aaron Sorkin rose to prominence in Hollywood with his screenplay for 1992's "A Few Good Men," which still stands as one of the best courtroom dramas from arguably the genre's greatest decade ever. Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, and more turn in great performances under Rob Reiner's direction, resulting in a film that earned four Academy Award nominations, including a nod for Best Picture. The film received similar honors at the Golden Globe Awards, and it holds a strong 83% "certified fresh" rating across all reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

"A Few Good Men" follows Cruise and Moore as two United States Navy JAG officers investigating the killing of a Marine recruit at the hands of his fellow boot camp trainees. The film touches on themes of toxic military culture and mob mentality, culminating in arguably the most famous courtroom showdown in the history of cinema. Cruise and Moore deliver powerful and entertaining performances as the case's lead investigators, and Nicholson packs one of his most memorable villainous performances into a relatively small amount of screen time, earning himself an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the process.

Of course, the real star of the show here is Sorkin's script, which features the same sharp, larger-than-life dialogue that he'd soon be famous for. There may be other legal dramas better than "A Few Good Men," but there may never be as good of a courtroom line as "You can't handle the truth!".

Some legal dramas are made to be entertaining. They may deal with violent crimes, but they play into a style and form that are meant to be a little pulpy, transporting the viewer into a courtroom world that isn't quite real. If that's what you're looking for — a fun, light, trope-filled legal romp — definitely don't watch 1988's "The Accused." If you want a tightly-scripted, brilliantly-acted, and challengingly-powerful story of justice, however, you should strongly consider it.

Starring Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis, "The Accused" tells the story of a young woman (Foster) who is sexually assaulted and fights back legally against the men responsible. In the late '80s, it was a bold and somewhat controversial plot for a major motion picture, but with massive support from Paramount President of Production Dawn Steel and producer Sherry Lansing, "The Accused" became a major critical and commercial success (via THR). Foster won multiple awards for her lead performance, including at the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes.

Even 35 years later, "The Accused" is still not a film to be watched lightly. While public discourse surrounding sexual harassment and assault has certainly heightened in recent years with the rise of the #MeToo movement and other similar efforts at progress, the problem hasn't gone anywhere. "The Accused" is just as relevant now as it was in 1988, and the performances from Foster and McGillis are every bit as impactful.

The 1990s may have been a golden era for courtroom dramas, but the films of that decade owe a lot to the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the genre first rose to true prominence in Hollywood. One of the most acclaimed lawyer movies of that era is 1960's "Inherit the Wind" — a dramatization of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial that addressed the teaching of evolution and Darwinism in schools. "Inherit the Wind" fictionalizes the real-life court case and adds an extra thematic layer of anti-McCarthyism for good measure.

With Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly and a young Dick York in the lead roles, four Academy Award nominations, two nods at the Golden Globes, and a spectacular 93% rating across all recorded reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, "Inherit the Wind" stands as one of the most acclaimed legal dramas ever produced. And while several remakes have been produced in the decades since, including one starring Kirk Douglas and another with Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott, the original film has never been surpassed.

Even today, "Inherit the Wind" still stands as a titan of its genre, with Roger Ebert giving it a perfect four stars in a 2006 retrospective review. Part of that enduring appeal is due to the film's stylish direction and cinematography, which have only become more striking with age. Perhaps it is the eternally relevant story of societal resistance to change and the fear of new ideas that has given the film a lasting legacy that can still be enjoyed by contemporary fans of the genre.

Of all the films discussed here that are based on true stories, 1988's "A Cry in the Dark" (known as "Evil Angels" in its native Australia and New Zealand) is one of the most fascinating and bizarre. The case in question is the trial, conviction, and eventual acquittal of Michael and Lindy Chamberlain — played by Sam Neill and Meryl Streep — for the alleged murder of their infant daughter Azaria during a camping trip near Uluru. Though the child was actually taken and killed by a wild dingo, media fervor around the couple's public image and religious practices turned the country against them, leading to a false conviction that was later overturned.

"A Cry in the Dark" is a fascinating look at how news coverage and public opinion can tilt the scales of justice, even against the victims of tragedy. Both stars do an excellent job, but as Roger Ebert said in his own review of the film, Streep is the main attraction. Watching her here is observing a master at work, and it's incredible just how much nuance and power she packs into a character whose entire persona revolves around being non-emotive. The film took home five wins from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, including Best Picture, along with four Golden Globe nominations and an Oscar nod for Streep's commanding performance.

If you're a diehard fan of legal dramas, you probably expected to see "12 Angry Men" significantly higher on this list, possibly even at the number one spot. Given that the film earned three Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture), four Golden Globe nominations, and holds a perfect 100% critical approval on Rotten Tomatoes, those expectations are more than fair. Even in the modern era, "12 Angry Men" is a masterpiece — an example of what can be accomplished on a single set with a small cast of actors and the right script. Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall, and Jack Warden are all great in the lead roles, and the film earned the silver medal spot on the American Film Institute's list of the ten best courtroom dramas ever, second only to another prestigious classic that we'll get to in just a moment.

So how come "12 Angry Men" doesn't place higher here? The main reason is that it's not really a courtroom drama, or a lawyer movie for that matter. There are no lawyers in it, and the courtroom isn't really seen on screen. The plot of the film still follows some of the genre's main beats, with the different jury members playing both detective and lawyer for the murder case at hand, but "12 Angry Men" is more a film about human nature and morality than it is a film about the legal system. There's an argument to be made that it's the best film on this list, but that doesn't make it the best lawyer movie. Ultimately, though, ranking films this great is a game of millimeters, so a top five placement here shouldn't be seen as a snub.

When we talk about legal dramas, there are a few old classics that always have to be discussed — a list that includes "12 Angry Men," "To Kill a Mockingbird," and 1959's "Anatomy of a Murder." Starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O'Connell, Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, and George C. Scott, "Anatomy of a Murder" set the early standard for how to craft a courtroom drama for the big screen. It may not impress quite as much now as it did in its own era, but that's largely because so many of the expectations it set have become ingrained into the genre itself.

As far as accolades go, "Anatomy of a Murder" is nearly unmatched: seven Academy Award nominations, four Golden Globe nominations, recognition by the AFI, preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry, and a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The murder case at the heart of the story is compelling and full of twists, the courtroom scenes are shot with tension and style, Wendell Mayes' screenplay still hits hard, and Stewart leads the way with one of his many spotlight-grabbing performances. And that's all without even mentioning Duke Ellington's incredible soundtrack, which won three Grammy Awards and is arguably the best part of the entire film. It certainly shows its age in places, but "Anatomy of a Murder" is arguably the most influential legal drama ever produced.

Given some of the other films present in this top ten, "My Cousin Vinny" might seem like an odd pick for the gold medal spot. It didn't get quite as much critical praise in its day as some of the older classics preceding it here, nor as many award nominations. Plus, it's largely a comedy, which is far from the norm for the courtroom drama genre. But there are several reasons to argue this quirky 1992 film as the best lawyer movie ever made.

First, let's talk about the cast: Marisa Tomei, Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Fred Gwynne, and Mitchell Whitfield. It's an eclectic ensemble that captures both the comedy and the tension of the film's absurdist story, led by Tomei's powerhouse Oscar-winning performance. She is as good here as any actor in any movie on this list, and she quickly establishes the film's delicate balance of situational comedy and fascination with the law. The film was also a huge critical and box office hit, with a tight and fiercely witty script from Dale Launer and expert direction from Jonathan Lynn.

What really puts "My Cousin Vinny" above the competition when it comes to being a movie about lawyers and legal procedure, however, is that it's widely viewed as one of the most accurate depictions of a courtroom trial ever put to film. Lynn graduated with a law degree from Cambridge University before starting his career in film, and "My Cousin Vinny" has received praise for its legal accuracy from a variety of prominent figures in the field, from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. The movie has frequently been used as a training tool in law classes and is still held up as an accessible example of basic court procedure. "My Cousin Vinny" does all that while still delivering one of the most entertaining lawyer movies to date, giving it a strong case as the best to ever grace the genre.