Na mira da justiça

Anne Archer seems a bit too attractive and young for a judge and especially for a Supreme Court nominee, but she pulls it off.

As her daughter, Erin Karpluk doesn't have a lot to do, but she is a very lovely young lady with personality and should go far.

Michael Shanks as the seducer is wonderfully smarmy, and terribly good in this role.

Early dialog is often clever and humorous and pleasant fun to listen to, even though to me all the utter nonsense about government -- disgustingly realistic in this movie -- usually makes me both angry and frustrated.

Politics should not rear its ugly head in a Supreme Court nomination, but -- especially since the naming of Judge Robert Bork, and the astonishingly ugly attacks on him, followed by the even worse and even more vicious attacks on Clarence Thomas -- politics does intrude and we've all seen that one particular party and class of people in government have no limits, no concept of ethics.

This script does a good job of not naming political parties and therefore does not point out one or another as culprits. But anyone at all familiar with recent history should be able to make some comparisons.

Never mind. The story stands solidly on its own merits, and the cast is superb. I recommend "Judicial Intrigue."

Circuit Court Judge Monica Barrett is told she may be on the short list for the next Supreme Court nomination. At the start of the movie, we see two different images of her: first, she has trouble deciding what to wear--but then why does it matter if she is wearing a robe, she finally realizes. However, when a CEO who has embezzled gets sentenced, she has no trouble being decisive and professional. Monica is a strong woman and not to be messed with.

Monica lost her husband Paul three years ago, and she has a grown daughter Jenn, who is a workaholic like her mother. They visit before Monica takes a vacation in San Francisco. While there, Monica meets a charming Irish writer named Jack Sullivan. Well, that's what he says, anyway. Before returning home, Monica has an experience that may cause trouble for her Supreme Court nomination, if it does happen.

After her return, Monica hears from someone who knows what happened, and this person won't go away. And he seems capable of anything.

Sen. Garland Wolf strongly supports Monica, despite some differences they may have had in the past, and the news is good. Monica is the nominee. All of the others have something in their pasts, though so does Monica, if anyone finds out.

Anne Archer does a fantastic job. She's quite attractive for a woman her age, and though conservative in her dress, Monica always looks stylish yet professional. Monica is quite a strong character and she smiles a lot, and yet we often see a vulnerable side too. But regardless of what she goes through, she won't back down from what she believes.

The writing is quite intelligent, and I can believe this is how life for a Supreme Court nominee might be, with the advice and various meetings and appearances. Naturally, this movie provides a little something extra in the process; most nominees wouldn't go through this much.

William B. Davis as the senator and Anna Hagan as another judge both give impressive performances. Michael Shanks also did well as Jack. I think Angelique Naude deserves mention too, even with only a few lines. She made me like her right away, and I hoped to see more of her, though it was clear she was never going to have a big role. Unless they made her a wardrobe consultant or something.

We get to see a lot of fine architecture. In addition to the Washington landmarks, there is Monica's courthouse, and the fabulous San Francisco hotel. Even on the inside it's fabulous, though I imagine if the credits say the movie was filmed in Canada, the interior was a different place or places.

Certainly a worthy effort, and not your usual Lifetime film.

Anne Archer is above the level of the normally "B" actresses which you're more apt to find on this type of Lifetime/TV film. I think she could be termed an "A-list/supporting" performer, having appeared as Harrison Ford's wife in the Tom Clancy flicks, with Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction," etc.

She's a competent, likable presence, and her performances (including this one) can convey the drama, risk, and even danger, without the excessive histrionics often employed in flicks of this genre.

Here she is a widowed prominent judge, and the leading candidate for the vacant Supreme Court seat. During a vacation in San Francisco, she meets a younger man, apparently a charming Irish author. Through no intent on her part, she is placed (to say the least) in an extremely compromising position.

The story unfolds as she proceeds (under the tutelage of an expert liaison/consultant) on doing all the things a candidate for this sort of position might do (clothing choices, speeches, press conferences, visiting other cities, etc.). She finds herself encountering this same individual (who had disappeared from the San Francisco hotel) in various personas and various locales, receives some ominous calls -- and there is a well-presented air of mystery and danger for her as to exactly why this is occurring and particularly who else, if anybody, may have a hand in it.

The remaining cast is good, and the story interesting, and there aren't the gratuitous, over-the-top contrivances which this genre often contains.

Anne Archer is one of the premier actresses of our time having co starred in the classic movie "Fatal Atrraction" for which she received an Acamdey Award nomination. She has also costarred with such talented male stars as Harrison Ford, Micahel Douglas and Gene Hackman. In "Judicial Indescretion" Anne has an accomplished actor Michael Shanks co-starring, who, with the right opportunities, will emerge as a talent to be reckoned with. And it's great to see that Anne has not lost any of her talent, acting abilities nor beauty as she delivers a virtuoso performance. The film is intelligent, riveting at times and socially relevant. Ms Archer is never strident, when lesser actors would be, and always credible with her understated and haunting performance. However, she emerges at the end, not a victim, but a woman empowered. It's too bad that we can't have women of her character in office. Or is that also the message of this subtly directed film?

Well, any chance to view Michael acting in something outside Stargate is always a treat. Now if he can stay away from things like MegaSnake and Sumuru... Perhaps explore Shakespeare a bit, now we're talking! I did enjoy watching this Jack fellow twist around. Nice, quiet intensity Michael. Brooding, not so much, perhaps work on that. Too bad Ann Archer looked so tired throughout. I have always admired her work. In this she seemed, washed out. And seeing Cigarette Man from the X-Files was also a treat!

Otherwise, a good job done Michael. See, there is life after Stargate after all, and this from a die-hard SG-1 fan! Up the Jaffa!