Oscar-Preisträger Anthony Hopkins und der Oscar-Nominierte Ryan Gosling sind die Stars in diesem "elegant gefilmten, mächtig spannenden Justizthriller" (TV Spielfilm), in dem sich "Anthony Hopkins wieder mal in Höchstform" (Computer Bild) zeigt.
Ted Crawford (Hopkins) erschießt seine Frau auf brutalste Weise und wartet dann seelenruhig auf die Polizei, damit sie ihn verhafet. Da die Tatwaffe und das unterschriebene Geständnis vorliegen, hält Staatsanwaltsgehilfe Willy Beachum (Gosling) den Fall für ein Kinderspiel. Eine Verurteilung steht außer Frage - bis die Tat in einem völlig anderen Licht erscheint. Plötzlich steht Beachum mit fast leeren Händen da und muss sich auf ein intellektuelles Duell mit dem durchtriebenen Crawford einlassen. Verzweifelt sucht der junge Anwalt nach der Wahrheit und einer Antwort auf die Frage: Wie hat der Kerl das gemacht?
| Anthony Hopkins | Ted Crawford |
| Sir Anthony Hopkins | |
| Ryan Gosling | Willy Beachum |
| Ryan Gosling | |
| David Strathairn | Joe Lobruto |
| David Strathairn | |
| Rosamund Pike | Nikki Gardner |
| Embeth Davidtz | Jennifer Crawford |
| Billy Burke | Rob Nunally |
| Cliff Curtis | Detective Flores |
| Fiona Shaw | Judge Robinson |
| Bob Gunton | Judge Gardner |
| Josh Stamberg | Norman Foster |
| Xander Berkeley | Judge Moran |
| Zoe Kazan | Mona |
| Judith Scott | Resident |
| Carlos Cervantes | Ciro |
| Gary Cervantes | Ciro (as Carlos Cervantes) |
| Petrea Burchard | Dr. Marion Kang |
| Garz Chan | Assistant Hotel Manager |
| Wendy Cutler | Gladys |
| Larry Sullivan | Lee Gardner |
| Valerie Dillman | Peg Gardner |
| Deborah Aquila | Casting |
| Gonzalo Menendez | Uniform Cop |
| Vivica Genaux | Opera Singer |
| Jennifer L. Smith | Casting |
| Tricia Wood | Casting |
| Cooper Thornton | Public Defender |
| Lyle Kanouse | Messenger |
| Sandra Prosper | Karla |
| Mónica García | Crawford's Secretary |
| Nancy Nye | Set Decoration |
| Joe Spano | Judge Pincus |
| Elisabetta Beraldo | Costume Design |
| Suzie Sax | Script Supervisor |
| Peter Breitmayer | NTSB Guy |
| Mirron E. Willis | Moran's Bailiff |
| David Purdham | Burt Wooton |
| John Littlefield | Cop |
| Lou Reyes | SWAT Medic |
| Rainy Kerwin | Wooton Sims Receptionist |
| R.J. Chambers | Bailiff |
| R. J. Chambers | Bailiffs |
| Eugene Collier | Bailiffs |
| Tom Virtue | Attorney Apley |
| Gunter Simon | Orderlies |
| Frank Torres | Orderlies |
| Payton Koch | Kids |
| Cooper Koch | Kids |
| Sophie Hoblit | Kids |
| Caroline Weinstock | Kids |
| Alexander Weinstock | Kids |
| Michael Khmurov | Russian Man (as Michael Khmourov) |
| Michael Khmourov | Russian Man |
| Julia Emelin | Russian Woman |
| Yorgo Constantine | Public Defender for the Russians |
| Alla Korot | Russian Translator |
| Jeff Enden | Detective |
| Kaily Smith | Lobruto's Secretary |
| Retta | Evidence Room Cop |
| Liz Glotzer | Executive Producer |
| Kate Clarke | |
| Hawk Koch | Executive Producer |
| Klatann Thomas | |
| Toby Emmerich | Executive Producer |
| Kramer Morgenthau | Director of Photography |
| David Rosenbloom | Film Editor |
| Mychael Danna | Composer |
| Jeff Danna | Composer |
| David M. Ronne | production sound mixer |
| David Ronne | production sound mixer |
| Tom Bellfort | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Gary Summers | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Daniel J. Leahy | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Paul Eads | Production Designer |
| Mindy Roffman | Art Director |
| Sir Anthony Hopkins | |
| Gary Carlos Cervantes | Ciro (as Carlos Cervantes) |
| Kaily Smith Westbrook | Lobruto's Secretary (as Kaily Smith) |
| Joseph F. Brennan | boom operator (as Joseph Brennan) |
| Paul Flinchbaugh | digital assistant |
| Nerses Gezalyan | foley mixer / sound mixer |
| Hector C. Gika | sound effects editor (as Hector Gika) |
| Arda Gulesserian | additional sound |
| Daniel S. Irwin | dialogue editor |
| Brian Magerkurth | dubbing recordist |
| James Moriana | foley artist (as James M. Moriana) |
| Margit Pfeiffer | dialogue editor |
| Bill Ritter | sound recording engineer |
| Ann Scibelli | Sound Effects Editor |
| Christopher Sidor | dubbing recordist |
| Branden Spencer | supervising assistant sound editor |
| Frederick H. Stahly | dialogue editor |
| Jeffrey Wilhoit | foley artist |
