I’m not sure I would have gotten as much out of this slow-paced courtroom drama if the audio issues hadn’t been so prevalent; for a good portion of the film, Vin Diesel seemed positioned too far from a functional microphone. He plays Jackie DiNorscio, a man already doing thirty years who is then approached by District Attorney Tierney (Linus Roache) with an offer: testify against one of the major crime families and get his sentence lessened. He refuses, only to find himself facing new charges and even more time in prison. With no money, he chooses to represent himself and quickly begins to amuse and irritate both the judge and jury with his energetic and unusual approach. Diesel isn't comfortable portraying emotion or nuance – when those elements are needed, his performance falls short. However, for the most part, he provides a serviceable portrayal of the charming criminal who readily admits to his past misdeeds while also emphasizing values like loyalty, family, and integrity in an attempt to convince the jury not only of his innocence but also that of his questionable companions. Because it's based on actual events, the outcome is already known, which unfortunately diminishes any suspense and makes the story fairly ordinary except for the fact that the trial itself went on for nearly two years and incurred a significant expense. Ron Silver distinguishes himself among the supporting actors as the stern judge, but the rest of the cast doesn’t offer much in the way of memorable contributions to a narrative that this particular actor isn't ideally suited for. The film runs over two hours, and I honestly felt worn out by it around the halfway point.

Source on TMDB