A First Amendment scholar is recruited by an attorney to sue a publishing company after a hit man commits a triple murder by allegedly following a how-to manual the book company published. They set out to put the company on trial for providing blueprints for would-be murderers. Arguing that the publisher is not protected by the First Amendment, the crusading lawyers seek monetary damages for the victims' families.
Acting
Timothy Hutton doing 'concerned intellectual' on autopilot
Writing
Clumsy but genuinely provocative premise
Director
Andy Wolk
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on the actual 1993 Maryland case Rice v. Paladin Press; the real 'Hit Man' book was so detailed it included advice on corpse disposal.
This TV movie arrived right as Congress was debating the Communications Decency Act—pure Y2K 'who's responsible for digital evil' anxiety.
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