Night Falls on Manhattan
Detectives Liam Casey (Ian Holm) and Joey Allegretto (James Gandolfini) are conducting a surveillance operation to apprehend Jordan Washington (Shiek Mahmud-Bey), a notorious drug dealer. On a tip from an informant, they venture into a building where Washington is presumed to be hiding. Washington preemptively fires a submachine gun through his front door, seriously wounding Casey. Backup arrives to swarm the building, but Washington executes a cunning escape in an NYPD squad car after murdering two police officers, while another officer is killed by friendly fire.
In a surprising move after the suspect's lawyer, Sam Vigoda (Richard Dreyfuss), brings him in, district attorney Morganstern (Ron Leibman) appoints Sean Casey (Andy García), a newly graduated assistant district attorney and Liam Casey's son, to prosecute Washington. Passing over the more experienced executive assistant Elihu Harrison (Colm Feore), Morganstern deliberately picks Casey due to Harrison's expected opposition in the upcoming election for District Attorney.
During the trial, Vigoda does not dispute his client's guilt, but postulates that the police were specifically looking to murder Washington. The defendant corroborates this theory by revealing that he had been bribing certain officers, including one called Kurt Kleinhoff, in return for protection while dealing drugs. Vigoda theorizes that when a rival dealer named Carlos Alvarez offered the officers more money, Washington refused to match it, thus becoming a target. Although inexperienced, Casey mounts a strong argument questioning Washington's credibility and his father provides effective testimony. Casey wins the case, as Washington is sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole.
At the celebration after the win, an associate from Vigoda's legal team, Peggy Lindstrom (Lena Olin), begins an affair with Casey. After Morganstern is incapacitated by a heart attack, Casey is persuaded by the mayor to run for DA. He wins the election. Meanwhile, Kleinhoff's decomposed body is discovered floating near a maritime dock. An address book found at the scene contains the names of several cops from precincts who responded to the Washington shooting. After several interrogations, a number of officers confess about their entanglement in the bribery and narcotics scandal.
Allegretto admits he initially lied about his involvement; he accepted bribes while also plotting to murder Washington with the other corrupt officers killing the third dead officer instead. Berated as "scum" by Casey for his conduct and unwilling to face jail, a depressed Allegretto commits suicide. Liam discloses to his son Sean that he and Allegretto were not legally authorized to arrest Washington due to an expired search warrant. Liam concedes that he forged a judge's signature with a new warrant.
Following an admission of guilt by Liam about the forgery in a private consultation with Judge Dominick Impelliteri (Dominic Chianese), the judge decides to fill out a new warrant and purposely obviates the technicality. He also suggests to Sean that he destroy the invalid warrant. The film ends with Casey giving the introductory lecture for a new class of assistant district attorneys, urging them to approach their job with diligence.
neo noir, murder