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Is it worth $10? Yes
“The Lincoln Lawyer” is one of the worst titles in the history of cinema. When I first heard it I thought Matthew McConaughey was starring in a historical drama that involved Abraham Lincoln. What a surprise to learn that couldn’t be further from the truth.
McConaughey is Michael “Mick” Haller, a charismatic L.A. criminal defense attorney who (by choice) operates out of his Lincoln Town Car. If you saw McConaughey’s interview with Barbara Walters a few years ago in which he said he doesn’t wear deodorant, and therefore wonder how bad he must smell at the end of the day after being in his car for hours on end, you are not alone.
Pungent or not, Mick is smooth, street-smart and talented, and up to the task of defending rich playboy Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), who’s been charged with battery and attempted murder. But when Mick discovers connection to an old murder trial that he lost it leads to a new, unexpected revelation about his current case that puts Mick in a moral and professional dilemma.
McConaughey is usually all charm and no depth, but here he gives Mick a gravitas that works perfectly with his big, light-up-the-room smile. We like this guy because he’s attractive (remarkably for McConaughey, his shirt stays on for most of the film) and intelligent, and yet has clearly met his match in Louis, who’s played by Phillippe with the same cold, unfeeling sociopathic harshness Phillippe brings to most of his characters. The only shame is that the great supporting cast doesn’t get more screen time: Marisa Tomei, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo, Frances Fisher, Bob Gunton, Michael Pena, Bryan Cranston and William H. Macy are fine actors, but with McConaughey (appropriately) chewing so much scenery we oddly want more of the supporting cast.
Directed by Brad Furman from a screenplay by John Romano, and based on the novel by Michael Connelly, the film takes some smart twists and turns that leave you genuinely wondering how it will play out. Furman also keeps the intensity high via close-ups, allowing us to see and really feel the reactions people have to the confounding and exciting things happening to them. However, no amount of close-ups helps explain Louis’ motivation, which could and should be clearer, and why there are three endings when one will suffice is anyone’s guess.
Overall, though, “The Lincoln Lawyer” is a taut, suspenseful thriller that makes you genuinely curious to see how a very smart lawyer is going to work his way out of an unthinkable situation. Any movie that can generate that amount of intrigue must be doing something right.
Did you know?
Michael Connelly first conceived of the story while talking with a neighboring fan at a Dodgers game. “He was a lawyer and I asked him where his office was and he said, ‘Actually, I work out of my car,’” recalls Connelly. “I went on watching the game, and by the time it was over…I had a whole book and a character that could go the distance.”
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yelita
said:
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... This is one of my favorite movies this year so far. Excellent movie, in my opinion and worth the $10 everyday! |
movielover
said:
... Wow this one of my favorite movies of this year and not because its filmed n los angeles but the acting let alon and ensamble cast.wow..loved this movie i would pay really 10 to see this movie yes |
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jael0828
said:
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... This is good from the begining to the end. I think everyone should see this movie |
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