Saul Goodman’s time as a lawyer in a film will soon be over, which will be a bad thing for many of us.
In case you’re not aware, Saul Goodman is the protagonist in Better Call Saul ,a TV production that has recently closed its six-season run AMC as well as AMC+. Saulis the story of a frequently noisy scallywag that pushes boundaries – and even crosses the line of ethics while constructing an unsustainable law firm that is bound to fail and burn.
Saul is a devious and liar, a sly scam artist. However, he’s an incredibly funny, talented and street-smart charmer.
The role is played with aplomb in a masterful performance by Bob Odenkirk, Saul Goodman is an enigma of contradictory characters. He is aware of the differences between morality and decency But his relatively small moral compass is slowly falling apart. His heroic fight for justice in the name of people of all ages is replaced by apathy as well as a simple desire to make money.
Why do we love troubled fictional lawyers?
Saul is an imperfect person and an unprofessional lawyer that nobody in their good conscience would ever choose to represent us in the real world. Of course it is the case in film or television this is the reason people like Saul captivating.
This isn’t just Saul. Others morally unclear lawyers on films and television have caught our attention, despite or perhaps because of their flaws. It’s unclear what this tells us about our viewers and how we view the law profession. Now the fact that Saul seems to be ending his tenure as the undisputed King of corrupt lawyers on television and film, perhaps it’s opportunity to examine his top opponents:
- Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton), “Goliath,”a streaming TV show produced by Amazon Studios, 2016-2021. Billy is a booze-stricken alcoholic who once was a prominent partner at a large well-known law firm. However, there’s a Big Case comes his way with regards to corporate negligence. Billy can’t turn down the opportunity to brush up on his legal expertise as well as reduce back on his alcohol intake and fight on his own against the powerful and wealthy.
- Frank Galvin (Paul Newman), “The Verdict,” 1982 film produced made by 20 the Century Fox. A soiled alcoholic who has an opportunity to redeem himself, Frank accepts a run-of-the-mill medical malpractice case that was handed to him in a gesture of kindness from a former friend and partner. The trial is certain to result in a fair settlement however, Frank believes that justice is most effectively served by taking the defendant, who is a formidable hospital, to jury trial, despite everyone’s suggestions. The verdict is predetermined and the film is extremely well-received by critics and the public that earned it numerous Academy Award nominations.
- Karl Weathers (Nick Offerman) Season two of “Fargo ,”FX TV show, 2015. Karl is a lawyer who drinks and is a lot more fun in comparison to Billy McBride or Frank Galvin. Karl is also a Korean War veteran and the only lawyer in Luverne, Minnesota. Offerman most well-known for his part as an office conservative with a sour face on the TV show Parks and Recreation,is hilarious in this show. The character of Karl Weathers appears in five episodes and is also the subject of several scenes. One of them is this.
- Ned Racine (William Hurt), “Body Heat,” 1981 film by Warner Bros. Ned is uninterested and incompetent small-town Florida lawyer whose primary problem is a lack of. In addition, he’s not particularly clever. The woman tragically performed on screen by Kathleen Turner spots his weakness and concocts an elaborate plan to kill her husband in order that they can both gain his wealth. The plot, naturally, aren’t as they appear and especially not for Ned.
- Michael Clayton (George Clooney), “Michael Clayton ,”2007 movie by Warner Bros. Pictures. Michael’s greatest flaw is the gambler is an adolescent. He broke up with his wife and was a result of with the collapse of a restaurant he’d founded by a brother who was alcoholic, making him a debtor to people who’d financed the bar. It’s likely that’s why he’s not a lawyer however, he works for an established law firm, as”fixer “fixer” who has large amounts of cash in order to tidy the mess.
- Denny Crane (William Shatner), “Boston Legal,” 20 20th Century Fox Television for ABC from 2004 to 2008. Denny’s fault is an enormously overinflated self-esteem. Denny is obsessed with himselfand often referring to himself in his third person. Additionally, he is obsessed with guns and has a tendency to be the bigots.
Then, what is the reason we find ourselves adoring these flawed lawyers? Do we hate lawyers, and love the fact that they’re not perfect?
What if it was the other way around? We might love them simply as they are a professional which is known as dressed up – however, at least once, they show us a glimpse into their personal fears, and own fears, their demons. As it appears, they’re as us.