7 highly rated 21st century movies about lawyers

7. "On the Basis of Sex"

• 2018
• USA, China, Canada
• Biography, drama
• Director: Mimi Leder
• Starring: Armie Hammer, Felicity Jones, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston, Kathy Bates
• IMDb Rating: 7.1

When Ruth Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) graduated from Harvard Law School, the practice of law in the United States was considered the prerogative of men. Even during her studies, she experienced firsthand that the professional path promises her many challenges, but none of them made Ruth turn back. On the contrary, the war against gender discrimination becomes the main business of her life. The woman fights against gender division in the law itself, providing clear evidence that both women and men suffer from it.

"On the Basis of Sex" is based on true events. Ruth Ginsburg's nephew Daniel Stiepleman wrote the screenplay for the movie, and Ginsburg herself appeared on screen in a cameo, while the filmmakers also consulted with her during the production of the film.

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6. "Conviction"

• 2010
• USA, UK, Switzerland
• Drama, crime, biography
• Director: Tony Goldwyn
• Starring: Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Thomas D. Mahard, Owen Campbell, Conor Donovan
• IMDb Rating: 7.2

In 1983 young man Kenny Waters (Sam Rockwell) has been sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder with extreme cruelty. But the criminal's sister Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) was convinced of her favorite brother's innocence. She decides to go to law school to later become Kenny's lawyer and remove all charges against him.

"Conviction" is based on real events. It reproduced the real process of investigation of the murder and acquittal of the innocent.

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5. "Marshall" 

• 2017
• USA, China
• Biography, drama, detective, crime
• Director: Reginald Hudlin
• Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Dan Stevens, Sophia Bush, James Cromwell, Josh Gad
• IMDb Rating: 7.3

Early in his career, Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman), the first African-American attorney and Supreme Court justice, is given a controversial case involving a black chauffeur accused by his wealthy employer of sexual assault. Young Marshall teams up with aspiring Jewish attorney Sam (Josh Gad) to make a powerful statement about protecting the rights and equality of citizens in an era of flourishing racism and anti-Semitism.

The movie is based on the true story of fearless attorney Thurgood Marshall and his fight against racial prejudice. "Marshall" was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Song category. The composition "Stand Up for Something" in the film is performed by Diane Warren and Common.

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4. "The Lincoln Lawyer"

• 2011
• USA
• Drama, detective, crime, thriller
• Director: Brad Furman
• Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Margarita Levieva. Macy, Margarita Levieva
• IMDb Rating: 7.3

Lawyer Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey), who practically lives in a Lincoln automobile and keeps all his papers in the back seat, has spent most of his career defending small-time defense lawyers. But now he's got the case of a lifetime — to defend realtor Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), who is accused of brutally beating prostitute Regina Campo (Margarita Levieva). While working on the case, Mickey realizes that Roulet is not as simple as he seems, and the lawyer faces a difficult task: how to protect his client, but to make sure that the guilty are punished.

The movie is based on the novel of the same name by popular writer Michael Connelly, published in 2005. The book was nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Best Book of the Decade award. This novel then lost out to Stieg Larsson and his "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".

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3. "The Judge"

• 2014
• USA
• Drama
• Director: David Dobkin
• Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Vincent D'Onofrio
• IMDb Rating: 7.4

Successful lawyer Hank (Robert Downey Jr.) travels to his small homeland for his mother's funeral and unexpectedly gets stranded in town. The fact is that his father, the respected Judge Palmer (Robert Duvall), has been accused of murdering a man he himself once put in prison for 20 years. Hank tries to talk the man into accepting help from his son, with whom his relationship has long since soured.

"Strong movie. The acting, plot, script-all top notch", — anastasiallann.

"Great movie for the evening! The actors were so believable, well done. I liked the plot and script too, I recommend it!" — fb1313417.

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2. "The Mauritanian" 

• 2021
• UK, USA
• Biography, drama, thriller
• Director: Kevin Macdonald
• Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Shailene Woodley, Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Zachary Levi
• IMDb Rating: 7.5

Mauritanian Mohamed Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) is one of seven hundred Arabs suspected by the U.S. government of masterminding the 9/11 attacks. He has not been formally charged, but the hero has been held in Guantanamo Bay prison for several years without the right to legal defense. Experienced attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) agrees to represent the Mauritanian in court, but the U.S. military will go to any lengths to ensure that the law never prevails and shameful secrets about torture are not revealed.

"An incredible story of an incredibly strong man", — milana_kazakova.

"It's just an explosion of emotions... I can't get past the role of Benedict and Jodie Foster... Actors with a capital letter. What can I say, thank you for the movie", — Gunel1992.

"It was interesting. I love watching historical movies and discovering new people, new destinies", — Vikos92.

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1. "Dark Waters"  

• 2019
• USA
• Drama, detective, biography, history
• Director: Todd Haynes
• Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman, Bill Camp
• IMDb Rating: 7.6

Lawyer Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo) investigates a string of mysterious deaths he believes are linked to the activities of DuPont, a major chemical company. Bilott tries to prove that the company's activities lead to an ecological disaster, negatively affecting people's health. The lawyer by all means draws public attention to the problem and receives threats from representatives of the company, who intend to bury the case in court.

The script for "Dark Waters" was based on The New York Times Magazine's investigative journalism story "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare" (2016).

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