Here are Cinephile Corner’s picks for the 20 best legal/courtroom movies of all time, ranked:
20. Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
In Justine Triet’s hands, the courtroom becomes a darkly comic battleground, where the stakes are life and death, but the weapons are wit. Anatomy of a Fall is as much a legal thriller as it is a front-row seat to the most outrageous courtroom circus you’ll see in 2023.
19. Liar Liar (1997)
18. Red Rooms (2024)
17. Philadelphia (1993)
16. The Firm (1993)
15. The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial serves as the final movies for legendary director William Friedkin and seasoned character actor Lance Reddick. Both work in harmony in this lean, procedural courtroom drama. A precise sendoff for these two industry staples.
14. Marriage Story (2019)
13. JFK (1991)
12. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
11. Juror #2 (2024)
Warner Bros. initially sidelined Clint Eastwood‘s courtroom drama Juror #2. Despite critical acclaim for the 94-year-old director’s latest work, the studio only pursued an awards campaign after the film gained praise. The movie had a limited theatrical release by Warner Bros., a decision that was widely criticized. After watching Juror #2, I share the frustration of those who missed the chance to experience this procedural drama on the big screen.
10. The Verdict (1982)
9. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
8. Mangrove (2020)
7. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
6. Michael Clayton (2007)
5. Erin Brockovich (2000)
4. Paths of Glory (1957)
3. 12 Angry Men (1957)
2. The Social Network (2010)
The Social Network might not be a “perfect” movie in a traditional sense, but it’s as close as any film has come in the 21st century. Directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, this 2010 masterpiece remains endlessly rewatchable, endlessly quotable, and deeply resonant in ways that continue to evolve with time. I’ve seen it more than any other movie—memorized its rhythm, its cutting dialogue, its thumping Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score that pulses through every moment. It’s a film that never loses its edge, no matter how many times you revisit it.
1. A Few Good Men (1992)
