As thousands fill the streets to protest corporate tyranny, intrepid lawyers face down the fat cats in the courts. In the movies, at any rate. Though drawn from a true story, Adam and Mark Kassen's drama falls into the pattern of films like The Verdict in which a crapulous barrister gets a second chance by taking on a case of David-versus-Goliath injustice. Played by an intense Chris Evans, Mike Weiss is committed to brilliant tactics and loud ties in the courtroom. Unfortunately, some of his best ideas come when he's smoking crack. The plight of a nurse who contracted AIDS from an accidental needle jab pricks his conscience, and he uncovers a conspiracy involving a medical supply company keeping a safe substitute for their disease-spreading needles off the market. Staying on the wagon, though, poses a bigger challenge for Weiss, and the film veers off into an addiction/redemption story awkwardly punctuated by political correctness.
