September 1, 2006
By Yunus Kemp
Nu Metro Home Entertainment
Rating: 6/10
Film: Find Me Guilty is based on the true story of Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio, who refused to rat on his Mafiosi pals and ended up successfully defending himself in court.
In this comedy, muscle man Vin Diesel plays Jackie Dee and swaps his trademark vests for Italian silk suits.
Diesel has also grown some hair and his Jackie Dee is a good-hearted gangster who could be construed as the family clown.
Despite the transformation, there is still the slow, deliberate delivery of lines from Diesel.
But in Find Me Guilty, Diesel gets to display his acting "range" and is actually quite funny in the lead role. The show literally belongs to him.
Jackie Dee was part of the notorious New Jersey family, the Luccheses
. The Feds move in after several years of investigation and arrest 20 mobsters.
But Jackie is already serving a 30-year sentence for various crimes and when the DA comes knocking, Jackie is placed in a precarious position.
He is offered a deal - authorities tell him that if he testifies against his colleagues, they will reduce his sentence. Jackie, though, has other plans and the courtroom becomes his stage to shine.
The trial, through no small measure on Jackie's part, becomes an embarrassment to the US justice system. Find Me Guilty is a surprisingly agile, gripping and very funny comedy.
Extras: Trailers of forthcoming DVD features.
  
 
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