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7.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Counsellor at Law remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies where people talk over each other at 100 miles per hour, sure. If you need a plot that sits still for a second to let you breathe, look elsewhere. John Barrymore is basically the whole show here, and he’s either going to win you over completely or make you want to hide under the couch.
The whole thing feels like a stage play that forgot to leave the theater. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but it makes the camera feel a bit claustrophobic. It reminds me of the pacing in The Man I Love, where you just know the actors are dying to move their feet but they're stuck in these tiny, cramped frames.
The law office is absolute chaos. Phones are ringing, people are screaming, and Barrymore is just trying to look like he’s in charge while his life implodes. It’s a relentless pace. I don't know how anyone actually gets any legal work done in this place.
I caught myself looking at the background extras more than the actual leads at one point. There’s a guy in the back left corner who looks like he’s having a nervous breakdown in real time. It’s weirdly distracting. Much like the erratic energy in Grafters, the movie doesn't always know when to quit.
It’s a loud, messy, and kind of sad movie about a guy who worked his way up from nothing only to realize he doesn't like who he became. Barrymore is transfixing, even when he’s chewing on the scenery until it’s pulp. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s certainly got a pulse.
