: The film is also noted for its cynical take on the legal system, encapsulated by Martin Vail's (Richard Gere) famous line:
Gregory Hoblit (who would later direct Frequency and Fracture ) directs with a documentary-like grit. The Chicago winter is a character in itself—gray, cold, and oppressive. The courthouse hallways are dimly lit; the prison scenes are claustrophobic. Hoblit strips away the glamour of courtroom dramas like A Few Good Men . Here, justice is transactional.
The film is famous for its ending : after being found not guilty by reason of insanity, Aaron drops his stutter and reveals to Vail that he had been faking the disorder the entire time to escape conviction. He coldly admits that there was never a "Roy"—or rather, that "Roy" was the true personality and "Aaron" was the act. Richard Gere
The final scene between Gere and Norton is a duel of acting giants. Gere’s face, as the realization dawns that he has been conned, is a study in horror. He doesn't scream or shout. He just watches as the monster walks away, realizing that his vanity released a killer onto the streets. It is a haunting, morally gray ending that few Hollywood films dared to attempt in the era of happy endings.