JUDGMENT IN BERLIN (1988) *** I learned quite a bit during this film, not the least surprising being that Sean Penn's father Leo was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. So here's Leo writing and directing a piece critical of the East German and American governments. You go, boy! The simple and true plot line is a man who hijacked a plane to escape the Soviet bloc, for obvious reasons. Both governments want him in jail, for divergent reasons. Martin Sheen (who else?) is the hardass but shamelessly patriotic American judge set up to be manipulated. But will he? Martin? ahem. As an apostate lawyer having worked in and around courtrooms for what amounts to at least two decades, let me assure you that I understand that legal proceedings are time consuming, unnecessarily complex, dull and simply unfathomable.and that's just to the judges! I am not saying that judges of the integrity and ability of that portrayed by Martin don't exist.they do, but it's pretty damn unusual. What's even more unusual, WAY even more unusual, is a film that portrays the legal process sensibly: the issues are clearly defined, the process presented isn't absurd; and the legal, psychological, even spiritual dynamic flicker through the screen. Leo does that, with the help of some excellent acting. Sean, of course, stammering madly as an expelled and escaped East German existentialism enthusiast, and also Jutta Speidel as the woman who just wants it all to end somehow, anyhow. I think that anyone who's ever stepped foot into a court's felt that way. So it's interesting and smart and well done. That doesn't change the fact that most of the film involves people standing and sitting and talking in court. If that's a dealbreaker, don't watch it. Otherwise, do. I bet you'll learn something too.
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