Visitors Review

dpevulle (2012-05-24 23:35)

No Oscar Buzz?

A close friend recommended that I see this when it first came out. I'monly now writing a review because I feel compelled to state that thiswas the first movie of the year that I thought had a realistic shot atgetting major awards attention, as in Academy Awards attention. IsMatthew McConaughey so much so a pretty boy that he can't be takenseriously as an actor, even after a performance like this? What ashame. This was the first time that I saw him take on a role, since hisportrayal of Jake Tyler Brigance in A Time To Kill, that made me think,this guy can seriously act. What an underrated film.And what a great supporting cast. Marisa Tomei, William H Macy, RyanPhillipe plays the bad guy role very well. He's likable like in CruelIntentions but the character of Louis Roulet isn't as redeemable. I'msorry, but the fact that The King's Speech won an Academy Award forBest Picture and Best Actor, and a film like this gets no attention isbeyond a mystery to me.

Neil Doyle (2012-05-24 12:00)

Solid courtroom thriller with excellent performance by Matthew McConaughey and a five-twist ending...

Agatha Christie would be proud of the five-twist ending to THE LINCOLNLAWYER. The film is clearly top-notch and street smart. It's the mostefficient, solidly crafted courtroom thriller since PRIMAL FEAR andWITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. It has so many twists and turns that it'slikely that Agatha Christie would be proud of it.It also reignites the career of Matthew McConaughey as an actor, notjust a charismatic star. He manages to be smoothly appealing despiteplaying a corrupt lawyer who has no scruples in defending guiltyclients as long as they provide the cash flow he demands. It's onlyafter defending RYAN PHILLIPPE from a charge of murder and rape that herealizes he does have a few scruples left. And the plot twists providedby the screenwriter John Romano from the novel by Michael Connelly, aredeftly handled for maximum shock effect. Brad Furman keeps thedirection tight, forceful and swift-moving.The cast surrounding McConaughey has been selected with care and all ofthem offer realistic performances. Marisa Tomei is appealing as hisex-wife who knows his shortcomings but is still attracted to him, andWilliam H. Macy delivers a solid performance as his investigatorfriend. Ryan Phillippe is excellent as the client whose surfaceappearance belies the fact that he's as street smart as his sleazylawyer, and FRANCES FISHER is outstanding in a small but pivotal roleas the young man's protective mother.Not since the days of PRIMAL FEAR and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION hasthere been a more intelligent script than this one, designed to baffleand blindside the viewer in the course of unraveling some startlingsurprises.By all means, highly recommended for fans of this genre.

bob1701 (2012-05-23 13:00)

A Good Film

The rating for this film when I saw it was 7.4 which by IMDb standardsis fairly high, so my expectations were high as well. The movie startedoff well, the story and characters were interesting and I have alwaysenjoyed courtroom movies so it didn't take much for me to get into it.Then the story takes a turn for the unlikely and what starts off as arealistic crime drama becomes a very coincidental Matthew M. film.The story is overall not bad, but there are just too many instanceswhere I was thinking, "that worked out well for him." You never feellike the good characters are in danger or that the story might favourthe bad guys in any meaningful way. This is a happy ending story allthe way. Having said that the film did keep my interest almost thewhole time, the story is somewhat unique.The acting is fine, Matthew M. plays himself which is not necessarily abad thing. I liked him in A Time to Kill and I liked him in this filmas well. Ryan Phillippe is boring as the bad guy.I am surprised that this movie has a 7.4 rating, my ratings often aresimilar to the IMDb average but I have a bias towards these types ofmovies and giving it a 7/10 was pushing it for me.

Michael (2012-05-22 18:14)

Kept me watching and thinking

I thought the movie was very good. Mc**** is natural in this kind of movie. I would suspect that what is missing is the big social issue that really puts the court/law movies over the top. Without the issue the drama is more difficult to sustain. I don't know how the flick will do at the box office, but it was a fun movie and is definitely better than most of the other movies currently available.

MichaelN (2012-05-22 02:45)

SHORT AND SWEET REVIEW

I NEVER LIKED M.C. BUT I THINK HE DID MAKE THE MOVIE ENJOYABLE....SO SEE IT...IF YOU ARE OVER 40 AND DON'T HAVE TO HAVE "BLOW EM UP CRAP" IN YOUR FILMS TO BE WORTHWHILE, YOU'LL LIKE THIS ONE. KEEPS YOU ENVOLVED AND THE AUDIENCE ACTUALLY CLAPPED AT THE END.ENOUGH SAID

Troy_Campbell (2012-05-21 14:35)

A suspenseful, no-frills court room thriller.

It's refreshing to see a thriller that revels in the simplicities ofcinema. No unnecessary bells and whistles, just a decent story toldwell. The Lincoln Lawyer harks back to a day when audiences didn'trequire twists on top of turns wrapped in double-crossing interwovenwith deceit and covered in lies to stay entertained; one or twointelligent reveals is more than enough to keep you on the edge of yourseat. In a time where MTV-influenced editing and sound design hasreplaced clever narratives and honest acting, it's actually a bold movefor director Furman, but it pays off in spades.Furman, whose only other feature is the little known The Take from2007, sticks to the old-school mentality of making movies and largelykeeps his lens motionless, allowing the plot and the actors to takecentre stage. Sure, he spruces up the opening credits with some glitzysplit screens and wonderful vehicle POV shots; however this is wherethe flashy filmmaking begins and ends. His willingness to stay groundedand keep the camera-work basic offers John Romano's script – whichwould be right at home in the fifties, with the sharp dialogue nudgingthe picture into semi-noir territory – room to breathe and subsequentlygifts the cast with a chance to really chew down on the material. Theydon't disappoint.McConaughey, Mr Abs himself, makes a strong argument that he deservesmore in his career than fluffy rom-coms opposite Kate Hudson. He'srequired to transform across the running time from an arrogant, suavelawyer who has no regrets to a guilt-ridden man who just wants toprotect his family and friends, and there's not a hint of hollowness inhis performance. Strong supporting work is dished up by Tomei asHaller's ex-wife, Macy as a private investigator and Lucas as anout-his-league prosecutor; unfortunately though Phillippe is a weaklink, he somehow never convinces in his fairly easy role and almostlooks like he's disinterested to be there.A suspenseful, no-frills court room thriller.3.5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Average, 3 - Good, 4 - Great, 5 -Brilliant)

nabysdad-16-363997 (2012-05-21 00:01)

Did he, didn't he?

They answer the question of guilt or innocence rather early in themovie but that didn't make a difference because it was still just agreat flick and the ending caught me somewhat by surprise and it wasdone well, even if a bit conveniently. I do think that they could'vedone a better job of casting as Marissa Tomei was a little lacking inher role, not so much because of her acting skills, or lack thereof,but more because the role seemed like it should be cast with a morebelievable character. Marissa never let you forget that she is anactress playing the role of an attorney, she just wasn't credible inthe role at all. But this was a fun movie to watch an kept you guessingfor the most part. I enjoyed it.

(2012-05-20 15:13)

Didn't think Matthew McConaughey had it in him

This review is from: Lincoln Lawyer (Amazon Instant Video) I had fairly low expectations going into this, given Matthew McConaughey's starring role. But I have to admit that I was impressed with the outcome. The writing was tight, the dialog compelling, and the plot was nicely done. I wound up enjoying the movie thoroughly.

virindra (2012-05-19 15:43)

Don't judge a movie by it's cover.

The Licoln Lawyer is a good movie, with a boring cover. The cover isthe reason for people not the rent this movie. I almost did not seethis movie either.The movie was not very good. It begins with the overconfident lawyer,played by Mathew. It almost made me sick. He's been driven in thisLincoln car (that should explain the Lincoln lawyer?) and he makes alot of money as a lawyer. I liked William H. Macey as his college. Hehad a nice appearance.When you're watching this movie, it's like watching fracture. RyanPhillippe would not get a small role in a movie, so you know he shouldbe guilty. And then the rest of the movie might me interesting andexciting, but at the end it goes the way it only has to go; towards ahappy end what is, in this case, not very realistic.

(2012-05-19 08:08)

Entertaining trip into the legal world

This is not an accurate reflection of the legal system. What it is though, is an entertaining movie that highlights one man's ethical dilemmas and what he does to overcome them. So do not get this movie because you think you are watching something that reflects the legal system. Rather, just get it for some good acting and a good movie.

(2012-05-18 21:27)

Compared to the book...

This review is from: Lincoln Lawyer (Amazon Instant Video) The Lincoln Lawyer is one of my all time favorite books. I was pleasantly surprised that the movie so closely resembled the book. The characters and plot were on point. I highly recommend this movie (and book!).

ElMaruecan82 (2012-05-18 08:34)

Embark for a captivating cinematic ride full of twists and turns ...

"The Lincoln Lawyer" is an interesting combination of many elementsthat usually make courtroom dramas a particularly fascinating genre. Itfeatures the moral dilemma of a lawyer who knows his client is guilty,it's a psychological thriller surrounded by the necessary elements ofmystery, it has a captivating succession of plot twists rewarding onehour of conventional action, it also features a charismatic and likablelead and great supporting actors, and overall, the film is just so damnentertaining … I must concede that the opening didn't make a great impression on me asit looked more like an ad for the Lincoln car with such overconfidencein style I though the whole film would be an exercise in coolness, asentiment that the characterization of the hero, didn't reassure.Matthew McCaughney is so cocky and handsome as Mick Haller, thecompetent and no-nonsense lawyer that I knew I would have a hard timeto feel empathetic toward him, especially when we indirectly get theidea that he's the 'golden boy' type of lawyer who cares less about thejustice than getting the job done. Haller seems like a man of businessmore than principles, especially when you consider the profile of hisclients, not totally irreproachable ... but let's just say that this isonly a facade that the film will eventually contradict. Indeed, "TheLincoln Lawyer" is a straightforward thriller that knows its business.It doesn't take five minutes till we identify the case and fifteenminutes to know about the main characters.Mick Haller defends a young wealthy kid named Louis Roulet, who'saccused of raping and beating a prostitute. For Roulet, it's only forthe money, because he's an easy target and Ryan Philippe plays thecharacter with such innocence and sweetness that we ought to believehim, well there's something kind of suspicious, he's almost too'innocent' not to be really innocent, but we all know, it's not thekind of movie to embarrass itself with an open-and-shut case. Andprogressively, as we discover the cast of supporting characters, sofull of familiar faces : from Bob Gunton, to William H. Macy, fromMarisa Tomei to John Leguizamo, Haller's investigation leads us to thefirst revelation about Louis Roulet. And there, something interestinghappens.Haller realizes that not only poor 'baby face' Roulet is guilty of thecrime he's accused but also guilty of another crime that unjustly putone of his ex-client, Martinez, behind the bars, and what savedMartinez from the lethal injection is his pleading guilty in totalawareness of his innocence. Why this is interesting? because it totallyreverses the relationship between Haller and Roulet, with a slightadvantage for the bad guy, and for the first time, Haller seemsvulnerable. Vulnerable doesn't mean in a weak position either, butwhile confronted to the revelation, and the shock of his friend's death(Macy as his informer), Haller starts to bear a cinematic resemblanceto another iconic lawyer, named Arthur Kirkland. To those who don'tremember, he's the idealistic lawyer, played by Al Pacino, who had todefend a judge for a crime he had privately admitted.Haller's sensitivity and inner goodness is established, and it's nosurprise that during the second act, we start to discover his humanside beyond the confident facade. We develop a fondness for him as aman who has everything to be the sort of cocky womanizer we love tohate, as envious behind-the-screen guys, but who chose to drown hisfrustrations in the bitter lake of alcohol, putting himself in such astate, his ex-wife Maggie used to drive him back home, sometimes herhome like when she finally succumbed to his charm and decided to have agood time with him. And after Haller the lawyer, the boozer, we get toknow the father, a tender man with an authentic love for his daughter.This sounds cliché, but it's not overdone in the film, and all therelationships look and sound genuine and realistic, which helps tocompensate some possible flaws cinematic purists might find in theplot.And then the final act opens, more energetic, thrilling and captivating... it's just as if all the surprises and twists were waiting toexplode in our faces, one by one, going crescendo until the ultimateclimactic sequences where the lawyer, to solve his dilemma, uses hisgreatest talent to destroy his client : procedure. The best way toaccuse him of the previous murder was to bring the jail companion totestify against him, and in one hell of a twist, Haller proved hisMachiavellian talent : using a testimony to prove its invalidity duringthe trial and lead to a dismiss, but making sure it would be used bythe police to arrest Roulet. Justice was done, and Haller revealedhimself as a man of principles ... the movie could have ended up here,it would have been satisfying.But still, it's a thriller, the package would have been incompletewithout a revenge against that rotten, dirty world, that uses money andinfluence as immunity. Roulet needed a lesson and it was quiterefreshing to see him beaten by the bikers who work for one of Haller'sclient. The revelation about the mother wasn't totally unpredictablebut at that moment, I was okay with any resolution. I had my share ofthrills, laughs, enjoyment, and psychological involvement. The filmdelivered what I expected, and at the end, I had the certitude that Iwatched one of the best courtroom dramas in years ... of course, itdoesn't invite for cinematic purism, but at least, it entertainswithout insulting the viewer's intelligence and overdoing the 'action'element, why ask for more? And why "The Lincoln"? What significance to the plot? Nothing inparticular, but it sure had Earl, the coolest chauffeur ever ...

(2012-05-17 02:02)

STEREOTYPICAL LAWYER

Have you ever watched a movie thinking before hand it would be a good movie only to discover that it was just so so once it finished? A movie that just leaves you feeling a bit bland, as if had you not watched it you wouldn't notice it but that you thought was entertaining enough anyway? Such is the case with THE LINCOLN LAWYER.Based on the best seller by Michael Connelly it tells the tale of slick lawyer Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey), a stereotypical lawyer who will do most anything to get his client off be he guilty or not. Mick is also likely to take his client for as much as he can get while the getting is good. Not the most loveable character you'll find in a movie.Things get odd when Mick takes on a case for bail bondsmen/friend named Val Valenzuela (John Leguizamo). He has a client in need of an attorney, a young and wealthy guy named Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillipe) accused of attempting to rape and beat a young woman. Roulet claims innocence from the start and Mick is willing to take him at his word. Refusing money from his mother to differentiate the client from the witness base, Mick sets out to discover all he can about the case and all involved.Using his best friend and investigator Frank Levin (William H. Macy), he sets out building an alibi for his client. But when he has Frank look into something different, Frank ends up dead and the most likely suspect in Mick's eye is Roulet. The problem is being his attorney Roulet is protected by the lawyer/client privilege. And when ties to a case that didn't set well with Mick years ago start to form, he begins to wonder just who this young man really is.Along the way we meet an assortment of characters to round out the film. Marisa Tomei stars as Maggie McPherson, Mick's ex-wife who works in the D.A.'s office. There are several policemen who don't care for Mick's way of doing things, especially helping criminals evade justice headed by Bryan Cranston. And then there's Earl (Laurence Mason), Mick's chauffer, the man who drives the Lincoln town car that connects to the movie's title. Mick doesn't use an office you see, he spends most of his time in his car.The mystery involved doesn't offer an incredibly difficult plot to follow nor puzzle to solve. Who did what to whom becomes pretty evident early on. The best part of the film deals with Mick's trying to find a way to not break the law by turning in his client and at the same time finding a way to get him convicted of the crime. The performances here are for the most part pretty standard. There is no break out performance to be seen but everyone does a fine job. The cinematography is well done with a few hand held shots that aren't so obnoxious as to get in the way. The direction feels more by the book than anything. As I said, this movie offers a decent mystery but for the most part feels sort of bland. Still, when it comes to a rental its better than a number of movies out there and you just might enjoy it.

Peter Swanson (2012-05-16 11:31)

Good stuff

I'd seen a preview of this film early this year, then heard or readnothing about it until it was about to be released on disc. It eitherhad a limited release or the publicity department really dropped theball. I found it to be an entertaining, faithful interpretation of thebook, and am sorry for everyone involved in its creation that seems tohave dropped out of sight immediately after having been released. Mr.McConaughey does a very serviceable job in the role of the protagonist,and the supporting cast is truly outstanding. Before renting the filmit had been a year or so since I'd read the book, so it was nice to seea story which was familiar, but for which I didn't remember everytwist. I intend to see it again.

Greg (2012-05-16 08:00)

So-So Crime Thriller

Michael Connelly is a bestselling author. I know this because of theamount of times I see his name plastered on book covers that are beingengrossed by any of my fellow train passengers as I head to the cityeach morning. Connelly, J.K. Rowling and Nora Roberts seem to lead theparade as authors of trip pleasing books so it was no surprise whenConnelly's The Lincoln Lawyer was optioned for a big screen adaptationwith A-List stars such as Mathew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei and RyanPhillippe attached to star.The Lincoln Lawyer tells the story of Mick Haller (McConaughey), alawyer in California that conducts business from the back of a Lincolntown car. Mick seems to be a genius in manipulating the system for hisclient's benefits and his good-looks and confident swagger seem toendear him to all those whom he crosses paths.Thanks to a tip from Bail Bondsman Val (John Leguizamo) suggesting alarge financial windfall, Mick takes the case Louis Roulet (Phillippe),a rich, Beverly Hills boy who stands accused of badly beating aprostitute.At first, the case looks like a slam-dunker. Louis is convincing in hisplea of innocence and evidence leads Mick and his lead investigator(played by William H. Macy) to simple conclusions that a trial will befast and in tipped in their favor.But as Mick grows disillusioned with the prosecutors case (lead by JoshLucas) he begins to put pieces of the crime puzzle together – piecesthat may prove his client is not the innocent framed rich boy heclaims.For a film titled, The Lincoln Lawyer, there is not a lot of lawyeringgoing on in the back of the town car. There is the odd scene wheretransactions are finalized while Mick sits on his leather chauffeurdriven interior, but most of the action occurs either in the courtroomor in various rooms where alcohol is readily available to everycharacter.McConaughey shows us that he can still be considered at serious actor ala A Time To Kill and we are grateful he has slithered his way out ofthe dumb comedies that have been his staple for the past five years.But The Lincoln Lawyer fails to engross audiences in a story that issometimes too predictable and definitely too faithful in characters tothe Connelly novel. Phillippe does a good, if not great, job in hisPrimal Fear type role, but too many other characters are just throwninto the mix (Bryan Cranston, Michael Pena, Michael Pare, Trace Adkins)in roles that were clearly larger in the book form and could have beenamalgamated in the screenplay to make better use of time and plotdevelopment.The ending to the film does resolve all outstanding issues, but itstill feels hollow. Not only are any and all of the 'twists'unsurprising, but they are also lazily realized by director Brad Furmanwho struggles with the pacing and keeping a two hour movie not feelinglike a three-hour time burner.Not being an avid reader myself, I cannot comment if The Lincoln Lawyeris one of Connelly's best. I would think otherwise. But until Hollywoodagain adapts his words, we are left with 2002's Bloodwork and TheLincoln Lawyer as the forgettable theatrical entries that wasted theallure of A-list talent.

(2012-05-15 18:24)

Great Movie worth the view

This was a great movie, one of the best I've seen in ages glad I took the chance on this blu ray. This movie is Proof that Matthew McConaughey can put on a great performance, hes great when booked in the right roles and I hope we see more of him like this in the future. Marisa Tomei still looking great and acting it as well, great movie all around.

runbei-220-757604 (2012-05-15 07:47)

Slow down....!

Comparisons of films with the books they're based are not, always,odious, especially when the book is a masterpiece, and thefilm...isn't.The problem with this excellently cast and produced movie is that it'sjust a mite tad too slick. Michael Connelly's book shows attorneyMickey Haller from the start as not entirely a sleaze. While he doesget bad guys off, he works within the system, such as it is, and hedoes have a refined moral sense; and it's evident from the start of thebook that he's a good guy and that sense is destined to come out.If you could play back the movie at half-speed, perhaps you might getthe true feel of the story. It should not have been made as afast-paced adventure-thriller. That was never Connelly's intention, andit spoils a lot of the experience. What happens in the book is thatMickey Haller's character evolves. He's sick of the law, of playing thegame, and longs to be his better self. A difficult case gives him thechance, and he takes it.Connelly does a wonderful job of showing us how Mickey molts from asleeping soul to a shining knight. Michael Connelly is a mastercraftsman. He does, in short, clear sentences, what lesser writers cannever do - he touches our hearts. Read the reviews of the book onAmazon; you'll see how many readers valued this.It is, after all, one of the great themes of books that inspire anduplift: a person faces difficult tests, is jolted out of their usualway of being, and finds fulfillment in doing the right thing. Connellyis just a wonderful writer. Obviously, his classic book was passedthrough the meat grinder by Hollywood bean-counters. "People like fastaction - okay, we'll take this exemplary book and turn it into 'TheDetective' on methamphetamine." The best I can say about it is that Ihope it will make some viewers curious about the book. It probablywon't; it just doesn't give us an experience that many of us would wantto risk repeating. If you read Michael Connelly's book, Bloodwork, thensaw the movie, I can tell you that the difference is just about thatextreme, and that unfortunate. Bloodwork was a great book, and themovie, as expected, sucked.

(2012-05-14 21:34)

Entertaining

This review is from: Lincoln Lawyer (Amazon Instant Video) Not very credible and not always easy to follow but reasonably well-acted. It held our interest and, afterwards, we felt satisfactorily entertained. Reminiscent of a toned-down Bourne film and/or "Unknown" without the extreme mayhem, intrigue and special effects. As in those films, you won't always understand what is said or follow what's going on or believe that much of what transpires is actually possible in real life. But, who cares? There's sufficient plot, tenseness and action to satisfy a casual viewer who is looking to sit back and be entertained.

(2012-05-14 10:20)

The Lincoln Lawyer

Brilliant movie. Gotta love the twists to the story, never saw it coming. Very underrated film in my opinion. More people need to see this... and everybody needs to own it.

laymonite-2 (2012-05-14 02:03)

Very entertaining, much better than I thought it would be.

I'll start by saying I've never liked Matthew McConaughey much - hetends to play light rom-com roles and the last time I saw him he playeda southern lawyer in a pretty awful adaption of a Grisham book. In thisfilm he plays a southern lawyer. But......this is a nice, tight thriller, with pretty good plot twists and arewarding payoff, right up to the very end. McConaughey is VERY GOOD,as are all the cast.I was intrigued by the premise and the good reviews it was receivingand have to say, it was a very enjoyable film! Nothing spectacular,just a very well paced, acted and plotted crime thriller.