Directed by Gregory Hoblit. Written by Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, based on the novel by William Diehl.

Martin Vail

• Why gamble with money when you can gamble with people's lives? That was a joke. All right, I'll tell you. I believe in the notion, that people are innocent until proven guilty. I believe in that notion because I choose to believe in the basic goodness of people. I choose to believe that not all crimes are committed by bad people. And I try to understand that some very, very good people do some very bad things.

Roy

• I got you. You're the lawyer. Well, you sure fucked this one up, didn't you, counselor? Looks to me like they're gonna shoot ol' Aaron so full o' poison it's gonna come out his eyes!

Others

• Janet Venable: Do you know what I would do if someone did that to me? I would kill him, I wouldn't hesitate. I would stab him 78 times. I would chop off his fingers, slash his throat open, carve numbers in his chest, gouge out his eyes, I swear to God!... But that's me.

• Judge Miriam Shoat: You are making a mockery of my courtroom and I'm not going to allow it. I suggest you start representing your client and stop representing yourself.

Dialogue

Martin: : On my first day of law school, my professor says two things. "First, from this day forward, when your mother tells you she loves you - get a second opinion."

Jack Connerman: [chuckles] And?

Martin: "If you want justice, go to a whorehouse. If you wanna get fucked, go to court."

Martin: Come on... all you have to do is turn around.

Janet: I thought you liked it better like this. That way you don't have to look at the person.

Martin: You're mean. Look at me. Come on. Let's go find a bar you can still smoke in.

Janet: Thanks for the invite, but I don't like one-night stands all that much.

Martin: We saw each other for months.

Janet: It was a one-night stand, Marty. It just lasted six months.

Martin: Yeah, I'm Martin Vail, from the public defender's office. I'm handling the Aaron Stampler case.

Cop: Hmm, The Butcher Boy.

Martin: Yes, thank you, I forgot his real name.

John Shaughnessy: Listen to me Marty, it's a mistake to stick your thumbs in the eyes of the most powerful people in the city.

Martin: I'm not aiming for their eyes.

John Shaughnessy: Don't fuck with me, Marty.

Janet: [arguing before the judge] Next thing you know, he'll be objecting to introducing the murder weapon into evidence!

Martin: Well, now that you bring it up...

Janet: No further questions your honor.

Roy: Where the hell do you think you're going?

Janet: Excuse me?

Roy: Hey you look at me when I'm talkin' to you, bitch!

Judge Miriam Shoat: Mr. Stampler!

Roy: Fuck you, lady! Come here!

[Roy jumps over the witness stand and grabs Janet and punches Martin]

Judge Miriam Shoat: Bailiff!

Roy: You wanna play rough, let's play rough. Come on, lets play rough!

[Bailiff and secruity slowly walk toward Roy]

Roy: Yeah, keep comin' closer asshole, don't think I won't break her fuckin' neck!

Martin: Roy, come on. I got...

Roy: Fuck you, Marty! I'm walkin' outta here slowly. Really slow.

Aaron: Mr. Vail, will you t-tell Miss Venable I'm sorry? Tell her I hope her neck is OK.

[Martin walks away and comes back realizing what Aaron said]

Martin: What did you just say?

Aaron: What?

Martin: You told me you don't remember. You black out. So how do you know about her neck?

Aaron: [pauses and stammers, then starts clapping] Well... good for you, Marty. I was gonna let it go. You were looking so happy just now, I was thinking "hmmmm'? To tell you the truth, I'm glad you figured it. 'Cause I have been dyin' to tell you! I just didn't know who you'd wanna hear it from. Aaron or Roy or Roy or Aaron. Well I'll let you on a lil' secret, a client-attorney kind of secret. It don't matter who you hear it from, it's the same story! [stammering, like Aaron] I j-j-just had to kill Linda, Mr. Vail, that cunt just got what she deserved. But... [speaking normally, like Roy] cuttin' up that son of a bitch Rushman? That was just a fuckin' work of art! [Laughs]

Martin: You're good. You are really good.

Roy: Yeah I did get caught though didn't I?

Marty: So there never...there never was a Roy?

Roy: Jesus Christ, Marty. If that's what you think, I'm disappointed in you. There never was an Aaron, counselor. [winks] Come on, I thought you had it figured there at the end. The way you put me on the stand like that, that was brilliant. The whole "act-like-a-man" thing. I knew what you wanted. It was like we were dancing, Marty!

Martin: [walking away] Guard!

Roy: Don't be like that, Marty. We did it, man. We fucking did it. We're a great team, you and me. You think I could've done this without you? [Martin continues walking out] You're feeling angry because you started to care about old Aaron, but... love hurts, Marty. What can I say? I'm just kidding, bud! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings! What else was I supposed to do?! You'll thank me down the road, 'cause this'll toughen you up, Martin Vail! You hear me? That's a promise!

Taglines

• Sooner or later a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real.

• Don't believe everything you see...

Cast

• Richard Gere - Martin Vail
• Laura Linney - Janet Venable
• Edward Norton - Aaron Stampler/Roy
• John Mahoney - John Shaughnessy
• Frances McDormand - Dr. Molly Arrington
• Alfre Woodard - Judge Miriam Shoat
• Terry O'Quinn - Bud Yancy
• Andre Braugher - Tommy Goodman
• Steven Bauer - Joey Pinero
• Joe Spano - Capt. Abel Stenner
• Tony Plana - Martinez
• Stanley Anderson - Archbishop Richard Rushman
• Maura Tierney - Naomi Chance
• Jon Seda - Alex