Review: ‘Motley’s Law,’ a documentary by Nicole Nielsen Horanyi

Set against the backdrop of President Barak Obama’s tough but ultimately hollow talk that American troops would leave Afghansitan in 2013, Nicole Nielsen Horanyi’s documentary Motley’s Law (which kicks off the latest season of the immensely popular Hot Docs Doc Soup screenings this week) focuses on one woman’s quest for justice for all amid a messy, almost inscrutable legal system.

Horanyi follows the dangerous life of Kimberley Motley, an American lawyer from North Carolina who leaves her husband and kids behind for large chunks of the year to practice law in Kabul. She’s a defense attorney who admits that most of her cases involve foreigners within the country who have committed offenses. While she does take on some pro-bono work involving women and teens, she’s very up front about her aims and what has made her want to practice in a country where the legal system is an uneasy blend of democratic and Sharia law. “I came here for the money; just like half the people here,” she says in a blunt, yet charismatic tone. She wants to do well by her clients, but she hesitates to call herself a do-gooder. She refuses to call herself a human rights lawyer because she willingly admits that’s not her greatest area of expertise.

Motley’s Law exceptionally depicts the perils and pitfalls of Kimberley being the only female westerner practicing law in Kabul. While some courts take her seriously, many other organizations look upon her with disdain and ridicule. It’s dangerous for any foreigner trying to live an open life in Kabul, so there’s an added level of danger when you’re a woman with a prominent job. Prosecutors and judges are often taken aback by Kimberley’s ability to use the Koran as a defense tool instead of always relying on the letter of democratic law. On top of all that, many groups in the west want to depict Kimberley Motley as a crusader of sorts, something that the lawyer sees as a blatant misinterpretation of the truth, with particularly harsh words for western women’s rights organizations and The New York Times, both of whom put some of her clients in danger by skewing her story for feel-good Western empowerment.

There’s enough drama, depth, and human complexity on display in Motley’s Law that Horanyi could mount an entire television series from Kimberley’s life, but the filmmaker keeps it all expertly contained, concise, and on point. Kimberley Motley is a fascinating person both in and out of the courtroom, but her presence will open viewer’s eyes to larger questions. When Kimberley has a moment to return to North Carolina to spend time with her family, there are pertinent questions raised about the double standard that working and travelling women are subjected to that their male counterparts often don’t have to face. Constantly during Kimberley’s time navigating the clustercuss that is the Afghan justice system, one can’t help but wonder exactly what would happen if all foreign troops were to pull out now and how much worse of a mess will be left in their wake. Even the film’s conclusion, which involves an impossible to predict twist, raises questions about how the quality of life in America parallels that of Afghanistan.

Motley’s Law takes viewers into a confusing, often contradictory world, but the guide chosen by Horanyi to navigate these relatively uncharted waters is strong, unflappable, and gregarious. Kimberley Motley doesn’t want to be seen as a hero. She wants to be seen as someone who’s great at what they do, and Motley’s Law shows exactly that.

Motley’s Law screens at The Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema on Wednesday, October 5 at 6:30 and 9:15 pm and on Thursday, October 6 at 6:45 pm. Filmmaker Nicole Nielsen Horanyi will be on hand to introduce the screenings and to conduct post-screening Q&As.

Check out the trailer for Motley’s Law: