One of the really bad films of the year. It would be tempting to blame it on writer/director Brad Silberling, but no one in this film acquits him or herself admirably. Susan Sarandon struggles to bring her usual fiery passion to a<br /><br />dully-written part, Dustin Hoffman looks great but is otherwise a bore, and<br /><br />Jake Gyllenhaal comes across as an annoying Tobey Maguire clone, but<br /><br />even more annoying than Tobey.<br /><br />The nadir? Possibly this line from Sarandon: "You've given us all a big<br /><br />truth enema." Yeah, there's eloquence for you! Gyllenhaal whines his way<br /><br />through an unbelievably bad courtroom scene that provokes a desire to<br /><br />smack him one, and Holly Hunter looks embarrassed as a district attorney. <br /><br />A low mark for all concerned.