The movie Criminal Law was released in 1988 and starred Gary Oldman as the accused murderer and Kevin Bacon as his defense attorney.
After successfully defending his client, Ben Chase (Bacon) begins to have doubts about his innocence when another person is murdered in the same manner. The previously defended man, Martin Thiel (Oldman), immediately hires Ben again to defend him in this new case.
Ben becomes increasingly convinced that Martin is the murderer but continues to defend him in order to catch him in a mistake. Meanwhile, Martin begins to manipulate and terrorize Ben, leading to a thrilling cat and mouse game between the two.
As the case progresses, Ben becomes increasingly conflicted and begins to question his own morals. He also begins to develop a personal relationship with his client, further complicating the situation.
In the end, Ben is able to catch Martin in a mistake which leads to his arrest and eventual conviction. However, the experience has left Ben questioning his own ethical code and recognizing the similarities between himself and his client.
The movie was directed by Martin Campbell and received mixed reviews from critics. It is considered a thriller and was praised for the performances of both Oldman and Bacon.