Find Me Guilty (2006) * * *

Directed by:  Sidney Lumet

Starring:  Vin Diesel, Ron Silver, Peter Dinklage, Alex Rocco, Paul Borghese, Linus Roache, Annabella Sciorra


Vin Diesel is an actor who combines streetwise intelligence with physicality.    These days, he is content making Fast and Furious movies because they make tons of money and there seems to be no end to the sequels.    I've enjoyed him in movies in which he challenged himself and the audience, such as Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Pacifier, and this movie.     He has a strong screen presence.    Once he realizes he can't make Fast & Furious movies forever (or can he?), then he can certainly throw himself into non-action roles and be effective.

Find Me Guilty is based on a mid-1980's federal mob trial in which the defendants (about 10 of them in all) were known gangsters.    The counts against the defendants ranged from conspiracy to extortion to drug charges and even murder.     There were dozens of counts and the trial lasted well over a calendar year.     Diesel plays Jackie DiNorscio, who is serving a 30-year drug sentence and is among the defendants.     He is offered a deal to testify against his co-defendants and receive a reduced sentence.     DiNorscio refuses.    "Jackie D don't rat," he says in the third person, which happens a lot.  

Jackie is the only defendant without a lawyer.    He acts as his own attorney and he is surprisingly effective at cross-examining witnesses and endearing himself to the jury.     He makes the jurors and the crowd laugh, which exasperates the prosecutor Sean Kearney (Roache) and gives the defense hope.    "A laughing jury is not a hanging jury," says attorney Ben Klandis (Dinklage), who advises DiNorscio on the side.     "I'm not a gangster, I'm a gagster," Jackie tells the jury and from the looks of things, they may believe him.

The irony here is that even if Jackie is acquitted, he must still return to prison to serve out his sentence.     His co-defendants will go free.    This is fine by Jackie, who is loyal to these men even though some of them tried to have him killed.     Others aren't nearly as impressed with his sideshow antics, including crime boss Nick Calabrese (Rocco), who makes his disdain for Jackie well known. 
Perhaps his loyalty impresses the jury.    They are the only people in the entire room whose opinion truly matters anyway.

Diesel is among some strong character actors and is not overpowered by them.    He proves what a good actor he can be when he plays someone who doesn't shoot, fight, or drive fast cars.    The outcome of the trial is one for the books.     The jury's decision was likely more based on their affection for Jackie and their resentment against Kearney for having them sequestered for a 15-month long trial.      Kearney really underestimates the jury's impatience.     Their impatience allowed Jackie to sneak in, tell some jokes, and avoid spending the rest of his life in jail.     Talk about timing.