If Hollywood portrayed real lawyer life, it wouldn’t be very exciting. Watching someone draft a motion or answer questions all day isn’t the most entertaining. Luckily, Hollywood takes (a lot of) leeway and adds a dramatic flair to its lawyer and legal stories. If you are looking for something entertaining and even a bit inspiring, here are our favorite legal movies.
Legally Blonde
I mean, of course, we couldn’t have a favorite legal movies list without including Legally Blonde. It’s the classic story of Elle Woods, who after getting dumped by her boyfriend, decideds to follow him to Harvard Law School (“What? Like it’s hard?”) and realizes she’s more than meets the eye. From the loveable Reese Witherspoon to the many memorable moments and lines, we love this movie because it teaches you never to judge a book by its cover – or underestimate a woman.
Lincoln Lawyer
With the original virtual office, defense lawyer Mick Haller works out of his Lincoln and picks up a case with a wealthy defendant accused of assault. As he digs into his new client’s case, Mick starts to see something familiar and wonders if this new case is related to an old client. We love this movie because the protagonist is smart, down-to-earth, charming, and a true defense lawyer. (Plus, he’s played by Matthew McConaughey, so that doesn’t hurt either!)
The Undoing
Get ready to binge watch! This miniseries follows Grace (played by Nicole Kidman), who feels like she has it all. That is until there’s a violent murder and the picture of her husband becomes not-so-perfect. A suspenseful whodunnit, this series got our vote because Jess is a big fan of Hugh Grant as an actor and this is the first time she saw him playing the bad guy. Plus, the storyline has you guessing until the very end.
The Rainmaker
If this movie didn’t make you want to become a lawyer, I don’t know what could. Lawyer Rudy Ballor (played by Matt Damon) is a new attorney trying to make a difference in the justice system. In helping an elderly couple who have been denied payment by a big insurance company that they believe will save their child’s life, he takes on the big, corporate lawyers of the insurance company. Needless to say: Rudy’s first case is a doozy. It’s a classic David-versus-Goliath story with a bit of Danny Devito sprinkled in. We can’t help but root for this underdog.
Erin Brockovich
We all know the true heroes in a law firm are the paralegals. They don’t get the credit they deserve, but they certainly make a difference. That’s why we love the story of Erin Brockovich, a legal assistant who single-handedly helps bring down a power company that is polluting drinking water, all while raising her kids as a single mom. As the catalyst for one of the biggest class-action lawsuits in history, she is just amazing. We love this movie not only for Erin’s heart but for her tenacity and willingness to fight for what’s right.
There you have it. Some of our favorite legal movies. What do you think? Did we get it right? Did we miss one? Tell us how we did by following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok, and leave a comment with your favorite legal movie. Happy viewing!
Images courtesy of IMDB.
