At the beginning of the film is reflected in the America judicial status. From a variety of details can be strongly felt in the judicial system USA rigorous. First, a very important point is, everyone is equal before the law, regardless of whether the person is a natural person, or a legal person independent personality. When the elevator door closes, you can see the lift door to write several chalk: NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. this seems to indicate that, in America judicial system, as long as no justice be done, litigation will never cease to proceed, this also for the film after the paragraph buried a foreshadowing.
Lawyer Andy was found infected with aids. While the infected because gay AIDS, this sensitive topic involves many aspects, here must involve a moral problem. First of all, homosexuality in Christianity is regarded as heresy, is in breach of the law of God, "the Bible" in the two Sin City, Sodom and Gomo, representing the gay and lesbian, before finally being God with sulfur destruction. So after the trial, the prosecution and the defense more than once referred to this problem.
In Joe's lawyer, Joe carefully listening to the customer description, and then say for sure: you can engage in a lawsuit. We do not see the effect, the influence of the government for a lawyer here. Instead, the government for him and his client is the same, just like his another customer asked him against his neighbor. Government identity in front of the law is still just a person.
Andy came into office he told Joe, Joe, he was suffering from AIDS, Qiao Mingxian some accident, and like many others, began to be full of worries, watching Andy's every act and every move. The next one to make people feel ridiculous but at the same time is reasonable -- Andy accused Wei Weina of law firm. Law firms, specifically against others or help the accused man body, now is your employee, is also a lawyer and Sue -- lawyer and Sue law firm. Law firm partner Andy found suffering from HIV, but Andy's excellent work, they can not find a suitable reason to fire Andy, so they will put Andy on the desk of away, in order to frame Andy. This is the film in the final told our end, but at the same time, Joe didn't really believe Andy's reason, he need is evidence, in addition, in fear of AIDS, he didn't want to take up this case.
Joe at the Philadelphia library Andy encounter. In this conversation, Joe decided to help Andy. Joe decided this not only because he began to feel sympathy for Andy, it is because there is a resolution, have a clearly stipulates the prohibition of discrimination against AIDS in backed resolution, that he has the confidence to help Andy win the lawsuit, namely "Yalai resolution, the high court." ("Federal Rehabilitation Act, 1973, prohibits discrimination against disabled people, as long as they can work, although the law does not mention of aids." "but then the resolution, AIDS is disabled, not only for patients with physical limitations, and because of social discrimination against persons in the society, be regarded as dead, the discrimination is more than physical pain."
Next is the trial.
A major feature of the jury trial system is America. The defendant can be selected by the judge, or tried to a jury relates to their own case. The jury is temporary, is selected from the society, they have legal knowledge, and to adhere to the neutral and objective attitude. America law has detailed provisions for the jury, and the jury if the private contact, so will face a very harsh punishment, but, the members of the jury in the trial period not to talk to each other and make records. So, the jury are trustworthy in most of the time, also has the credibility. Usually, when involved in major cases, defendants always hope to the jury to decide, because it can improve the possibility of winning, they largely after all, 12 people think can not be consistent, will bring a lot of controversy, and if to ruling by judge a person, the judge's personal point of view, very likely to affect the decision. For example, in death penalty cases America, usually after the conviction of ten years or longer, so that the jury list have changed several groups. The jury system can avoid the error produced in a large extent, this is a fact we have to admit, but it must be based on a complete the jury system, there is a good knowledge of the law and the legal consciousness of citizens. If the jury will suffer from all parties in the trial process, and the influence of bribery, illegal behavior, then the jury will no longer have credibility, not the implementation of the value of. This is why in our hearing system at this stage in the implementation of the jury system cannot. The jury system has appeared in many and American judicial movies, such as "to kill a Mockingbird" "The Shawshank Redemption". In a sense, the jury on behalf of the society, and the jury's verdict is largely represents the social point of view. As the Andy case, the jury's attitude and even determines the attitude of society for aids.
Joe first by the prosecution lawyer's identity to the jury. Joe clear their wish stated the jury knew, then he said: "from the moral and humanitarian, the fact is, they because of Andrew. Beckett suffering from AIDS and fired him, they broke the law." Finally, this one of the most important is, no matter what they do, as long as they broke the law, they are the doings is wrong!
Then, the defendant's lawyer. She used a key word is -- FACT, she will give the jury a such information, what I said is true, and that can be used as evidence in court. The lawyer to understand, let the jury to believe what she says is true, thus affecting their decision, is the key to their success. At the same time, this is also the focus of the dispute lies.
The process is long, all kinds of witnesses such as lantern general to testify in court, the jury is also trying to find out the facts from the. The final verdict, the jury adhere to the principle of the minority is subordinate to the majority, and work out the amount of compensation. Andy won, though he had already be at one's last gasp.
Andy did not take the needle to threaten his employer. On the one hand, Andy is highly educated, he knew it was illegal, but the most important point, Andy know in USA judicial framework, he won't because of his employer's influential than he, so through illegal means to let him wronged, he knew, the law is fair, the court and the jury will give to do him justice, this is the most important reason why Andy did not resort to extreme measures.
America's founding fathers mentioned in the "Declaration of independence", "all men are created equal. After more than two hundred years history, on the contrary the provisions have not been completely implemented,, racial discrimination is always shrouded in clouds over the America. However, Americans can be aware of these problems, some people are brave enough to stand out against the. On the issue of racial discrimination, Mrs. Parkes bravely to apartheid said no, Martin Ruud Kim's non violent resistance movement makes the final court ruling unconstitutional racial segregation in Tennessee. It is because of American has a complete legal system, when the other discrimination or prejudice, as long as there are people who dare to stand up for their rights, as long as the legitimate rights and interests, will eventually get the support, and gradually understand the inclusive society. Racial discrimination is such, homosexuality is such, AIDS is such. This may be an important factor to American powerful. For Chinese also is so, if there is no complete legal system, not really make the rule of law, the so-called harmonious society can only be empty talk!

   From an artistic point worth mentioning is that in the film, music and songs. Bruce Springstin's theme song, sad miserable and there is no lack of internal force, with the streets of Philadelphia montage, a Greek tragedy aesthetic feeling chorus. The climax of the film is the goddess Maria Callas singing opera aria, opera fans on the surface as the protagonist in the description of the content and background knowledge of this aria, is he calling for life. This skirt around his play will be passionate elegant opera, Hanks approximation moves together, copy from rolia, touch one deeply in the heart. It is so wonderful and perfect acting, making it beyond the narrow proposition on AIDS and social prejudice, enter the human tragedy art realm.
   In addition, from the perspective of sociology, the protagonist and his Gay lover and family life mean, one is afraid of conservative criticism, the two is the fear of theme vulgar. But the lovers show reduced to less than the ordinary friends and relatives too careful, no wonder Tom Hanks in Oscar the podium to publicly thanked his drama teacher -- an ordinary homosexuals. After all, this is a dare to face the social old powers for the brave.