review for Deliberate Intent on AllMovie

Based on a true story, Deliberate Intent feels as if it was cobbled together from newspaper clippings and legal briefs; as such, character development is left to the actors, who are pretty much turning in one-note performances as director Andy Wolk turns up the volume and keeps it there. Their voices never modulate from the office to the courtroom, and the actors constantly sound as if they're pleading a case before a deaf jury. Still, an interesting scandal emerges and the viewer finds the exercise of keeping up with the detectives and lawyers challenging as very few leads are simply handed out. Wolk specializes in courtroom sagas and cop shows on TV, and his interest clearly is in the whodunit aspects and legal proceedings. Deliberate Intent is not boring, but it isn't easy to stay concerned.