Kate is playing her character really great. And even Nick Nolte has more than one moment to shine (you feel the gravitas he's bringing to the movie). Other than that, the movie/plot may be predictable for some (maybe many), but it's the way it's played out that really works. Be it the characters with all their flaws and the story with its turns every now and again.
Being a lawyer can be pretending, it's also about winning, no matter what. If you backtrack on that, what would that mean. The justice system is not perfect and everything else might not matter anymore. Like personal life. The drama outside the courtroom is as suspenseful as the one unfolding inside of it.