REVIEW: THE LINCOLN LAWYER

Really good, tense movie.  McConaughey knocks it out of the park and Phillippe is very solid.  You know you have a great cast when you get Cranston to show up in a bit part.  Highly recommended.

OK, Joshua. You and NIck  convinced me to break my "No money on McConaughey" rule. It's on you guys now.

SOLID is a really good word for this.  For the very fact that it's an entertaining adult thriller amidst so many kids' movies (that I enjoy as well... hahaha), it gets bonus points as well.  Aside from the fact that its ending feels noticeably drawn out, it is a satisfying time.

The film has a very "been going on a long time" quality to it.  This is both a plus and a minus.  It's a plus because of the world that McConaughey's character works in feels lived in.  His assistant/secretary is hardly important to the plot, but I love that she's there.  Same goes with John Leguizamo's character and Cranston's.  Marisa Tomei's role would feel tacked on if not for the fact that it just another part of the hero's world.

But I was a little thrown off when Michael Pena's part in the story kicked in (though the guy killed his introductory flashback scene... his performance moved me).  I felt that the more conventional move would be to set up that part earlier in the movie.  Now, I don't mind that it comes in during its second act too much.  But it was strange to see McConaughey go from SMOOTH OPERATOR to TORTURED DRUNK in 12.5 seconds once that plot thread kicked in.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnooj82 

SOLID is a really good word for this.  For the very fact that it's an entertaining adult thriller, it gets bonus points as well.  Aside from the fact that its ending feels noticeably drawn out, it is a satisfying time.

 

The film has a very "been going on a long time" quality to it.  This is both a plus and a minus.  It's a plus because of the world that McConaughey's character works in feels lived in.  His assistant/secretary is hardly important to the plot, but I love that she's there.  Same goes with John Leguizamo's character and Cranston's.  Marisa Tomei's role would feel tacked on if not for the fact that it just another part of the hero's world.

 

But I was a little thrown off when Michael Pena's part in the story kicked in (though the guy killed his introductory flashback scene... his performance moved me).  I felt that the more conventional move would be to set up that part earlier in the movie.  Now, I don't mind that it comes in during its second act too much.  But it was strange to see McConaughey go from SMOOTH OPERATOR to TORTURED DRUNK in 12.5 seconds.  

 

And I even like the color.

Fun fact: That relationship with his secretary is more fleshed out in the book and she's one of his ex-wives.

What I was pleasantly surprised by was how, like the book, Mick is a subtly shady bastard, but fundamentally decent. He's a good dad and gets along with Maggie McFierce, but there are enough hints that he has a problem with drinking and that may have ended the marriage, plus the fact that he does stuff like pay off bondsmen to have them refer clients to him. 

That makes me interested in checking the book out.  Thanks for the info.

The lawyer so charming that his ex-wives end up working for him!

In terms of the 'world building' that the movie did, it wasn't as ambitious or expansive as what was done in THE TOWN, but I felt that it didn't distract me from the main story as it did in Affleck's movie.  I didn't spend The Lincoln Lawyer thinking, "I'd rather be watching a movie about THAT relationship!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnooj82 

That makes me interested in checking the book out.  Thanks for the info.

 

The lawyer so charming that his ex-wives end up working for him!

 

In terms of the 'world building' that the movie did, it wasn't as ambitious or expansive as what was done in THE TOWN, but I felt that it didn't distract me from the main story as it did in Affleck's movie.  I didn't spend The Lincoln Lawyer thinking, "I'd rather be watching a movie about THAT relationship!"

Michael Connelly nearly always delivers. He hasn't gotten at all lazy since he got famous for his books.  The Lincoln Lawyer is one of his best,  and the movie is remarkably faithful, it's just that Connelly has more room on the page to flesh out his characters (Affleck cut a ton of fat out of The King of Lies and totally changed the terrible ending and the fact that the FBI agent falls in love with Claire too, but The Lincoln Lawyer is so lean and well done that not much would have had to be cut out). Mick's always dodging stings by the California Bar in the book, for example. More court stuff too.  I'm hoping there's a sequel, you could get a good movie out of The Reversal, where Mick actually plays the prosecutor in a case. Harry Bosch, who is his half brother, is the detective looking into the case.

That was a really pleasant time at the movies. Just a good story, told well, by people good at their jobs. Save for a few points it didn't reach any great heights but it also never was anything less than good.

I wonder if the book goes into the reasons for Mick's fundamentally different attitude towards his two clients. Because I felt that there was at least some race stuff, in the background. Or it could be that rich white boy wqas just a better liar.  

It would be naive to say race had no part to play in Mick's attitude towards his two clients.  But in terms of the story, I think it mostly stems from the character's "It doesn't matter what's true, but what I can prove" mentality.

Great article on Connelly and The Lincoln Lawyer.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/michael-connelly-author-of-the-lincoln-lawyer-draws-on-fact-for-his-crime-fiction/2011/03/07/ABmQgJr_story.html

The videotape con, for example, was based on a real incident by a lawyer.

The videotape con got a solid laugh in the theater.  Fun stuff!  Thanks.

Connelly kinda looks like an older Neal McDonough.

Nothing to add that you guys haven't already put to words. An extremely solid, fun time at the movies. And for me? Much more so when I finally figured out where I knew Earl the driver from on my ride home from the theater. Fuckin' Tin-Tin from The Crow aka Lord Nikon. I was excited to piece that together sans IMdb.

Yeah I came away impressed with this as well. A solid legal thriller and it seems like forever since i've seen Matthew in something worthwhile.

McConaughey needs to stay away from The RomCom.  Sahara was the last fun movie he was in and Fraility was the last really good movie.

I'm surprised McConaughey got this and not Clooney or Pitt.  Top of the line thriller with a great cast.  I had to wait till the credits to see if they actually gace Michale Pare a legit job.  I can't remember the last time I saw him in a movie outside his early 80's stuff.

As for the race card-possible, but with DNA and the knife it wasn't looking good.  I like to side with the abundance of evidence against him.  How is it handled in the book?

Saw this last week and hadn't chimed in yet. Mostly because I don't have much to add other than, yeah, nice enjoyable little movie that was never great but never really less than good.

Hopefully ol Matthew stays away from the dreck he's been miring himself in for so long now.

I was glad to see so many positive posts for this film. Haven't payed to see a movie with Matt in it since 1997? I believe that was Contact with Jodie Foster. No wait I just remembered he was in Amistead. And I did get to see this film for free since it played at my theatre. But I think I would have payed for it somewhere else. Might even see it again at a $2 theatre. And now I will look for the book series.

I thought it was just okay. McConaughey is good, but only feels like that because most of the time he's just that buff shirtless nothing. He's okay, but simply not knocking the role out of the park. That could have been Acadamy Award material for others. The story wasn't that good either. The case could have been way trickier (the basics are really good; needing to free a piece of shit to get him into a position to make him stand trial for something worse is good. But McCs way of getting him free is not that impressive and the twists and turns are no biggies). Also Ryan Philippe is obviously not the best choice to play a seemingly innocent, but also threatening killer. He felt more like a whiney bitch, never once being a real danger to McC. I think Michael Pena gets the standout scene with his really heartdrenching plea.

Although it would have been similar material, Bale would have made something really, really good with this. Or Edward Norton.

Overall it's solid, competently made and never once boring. I'm just sure it could have been so much more.

This was a good time. It had such an easy going sense to it, I would revisit this as a tv show. Every character felt lived-in, like they had lives going on outside the main narrative. 

The accusations against Mick are tied up a little too cleanly at the end (once Phillippe is arrested for murder the cops seem like they're already dropping charges against Mick), but the last minute mom reveal provides closure.

The alcoholism didn't come out of nowhere. He's shown drunk twice in the movie up to that point, and is then torn apart by guilt at allowing an innocent man to be put in prison. There's definitely a racial aspect to it, as well, as Mick messes up the guard's name at the beginning by calling him Roberto. That's there for a reason. 

I must say, as well, that was one classy love scene.