Sports movies and courtroom movies are very similar in that audiences wait for one of two things - a big win, or a big loss. Around those conclusions, these films try and create compelling stories and memorable characters to make taking the all too conventional journey worth taking in the first place. In short, "Philadelphia" is a touching - if not overly sentimental - journey worth taking.
Having never seen this movie before, I already felt like I knew all it was about as it's impact on the film world is so great. I got exactly what I was expecting - no more, no less - and since I was expecting a well acted, interesting story, I was pleased. Telling the story of two very different lawyers (Washington and Hanks) dealing with a wrongful termination suit, the topic of homosexuality is front and center, but done so in a way that seemed far less preachy than most films that have that topic at the forefront. No matter where you stand on the issue, this movie might not change your opinion, but it will engage you.
A couple of problems I had with the film come back down to the "P" word - pacing. While the film is not overly long, it could have been a good bit shorter if it eliminated a couple of personal life scenes that didn't forward the story - including a dinner party, anniversary party, and an overlong love for opera scene. Also, during the trial there is a "mirror argument" brought up by the defense that is so easy to trump (and the prosecution does) that a five year old would be able to pick out how silly it was.
Those complaints aside, the film has top notch acting and a memorable, if not conventional story. I would rate it a 7 out of 10.
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