El defensor

The titular Lincoln lawyer is smooth Mick Haller who is just as smooth as Matthew McConaughey. His sleaziness is entertaining, but his lawyering is smart and intriguing. This film has pretty much the perfect mix of a smart plot, with inventive twists, amusing one-liners, and captivating thought-out characters.

Limited action and instead using characters who have an actual story, we get a film that sets itself above its competitors. A charming, but also smart and strong, Matthew McConaughey introduces us to a lawyer who has a few inner turmoils that develop along with the plot. There may be a few too many twists in the story (and with the camera), but the evolution of McConaughey's Haller is rather subtle and not cliché.

Questions of innocence versus guilt surround Louis (Ryan Phillippe) as Haller agrees to take on his case. But as the case starts to collide with incidents of the past, present and future, similar questions of guilt and innocence start plaguing Haller, his other clients, and the other lawyers. The fact that all these other characters are played by great actors only increases the entertainment value of this film. I highly recommend taking a thoughtful ride with "The Lincoln Lawyer".

Playing the title role in The Lincoln Lawyer is Matthew McConaughey so nicknamed because he conducts most of his business from his Lincoln Town Car which is chauffeured by Laurence Mason. As he has to travel to and from various courts, this makes it a whole easier. And the car and Mason thereby become a business expense. Roy Cohn would have been proud.

McConaughey is no idealist, his services come at a price. But it turns out he has some scruples and they are put to the test when rich boy Ryan Phillippe and his mother Frances Fisher hire him to defend Ryan when he's arrested for rape. He was literally caught in the act as two neighbors broke in and held him for the cops for raping Marguerite Levieva.

Due to the canons of the Bar Association ethics McConaughey finds himself in a jackpot similar to the one Al Pacino found himself when he played a young idealistic lawyer in And Justice For All. But the results are a whole lot different because McConaughey is not an idealist and he makes those canons work for him.

The film looks like the pilot of a TV series, but I doubt we'll get any of the big name stars there if such a thing comes to pass. Marisa Tomei co-stars as McConaughey's ex-wife and a prosecutor to boot. Can't imagine what broke that marriage up. William H. Macy has a key role in this film as well as a private investigator who works for McConaughey and does very well in it.

The Lincoln Lawyer is a very well done addition to the legal cinema with a cast that fills its roles out to a "T". I would really recommend renting the Al Pacino classic And Justice For All and see the very great similarities and key differences in both of these films.

Hey, this isn't half bad at all. I'll be honest and say I wasn't expecting much, so it was nice to be pleasantly surprised. Okay, it's no 'Primal Fear' - but it's as good as any Grisham adaptation.

The script is pacey and smart, with some excellent lines from the central character - played with just the right balance of sass and integrity by Matthew McConaughey. In fact, everyone in the cast was up to the mark - and it's always a pleasure to see Marisa Tomei up there: a fine actress who deserves to be seen more often. Willliam H Macy, too, is always worth watching.

As for the story... I thought it gave an interesting angle on the classic legal/moral problem : the failed defence in which an innocent client goes to jail, and the successful defence that acquits a killer.

I haven't read the Michael Connelly novel, but I think I will now - if only to see more of the Mick Haller character. His back-story wasn't much more than suggested in the film - lost licence, broken marriage, smartness that's a combination of natural intelligence and life at the grittier edge of things. I want to know more!

A couple of quiet spots, and a little bit of overstating the obvious (a la 'CSI'), but otherwise this is a highly entertaining film. The perfect antidote to some of the blockbusters and cartoons on offer at the moment.

8/10

Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is sleazy but efficient defense lawyer that has scum clients. He has a daughter with the attorney Maggie McPherson (Marisa Tomei) and his car is a Lincoln driven by his loyal driver Earl (Laurence Mason). When the wealthy Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe) asks Haller to defend him in a case of raping and beating the prostitute Regina Campo (Margarita Levieva), Roulet claims that he is not guilty and the woman is trying to get money from him despite the evidences against him.

Haller asks his investigator Frank Levin (William H. Macy) to check Rooulet's story. Soon Haller discovers that Roulet's case is connected to an old case of his. Further, Haller can not use his findings against Roulet due to the confidentiality. When Roulet threatens Haller's family, Haller is behind the eight ball. But he is a smart guy and has an ace in the hole.

"The Lincoln Lawyer" is an entertaining thriller with many plot points and a great cast. Matthew McConaughey is excellent in the role of a sleazy and smart defense lawyer that finds that has been used by a psychopath and who has a crisis of conscience for not believing in his client. The efficient Ryan Phillippe is also great in the role of a cynical psychopath and Marisa Tomei is sweet as usual. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Poder e a Lei" (The Power and the Law")

I know what you're thinking and I can agree with you that the name, Matthew McConaughey, does not instill great confidence that you're going to get a great movie experience. Now that is not to say that McConaughey hasn't done some great movies. For every Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past, Sahara, and Failure to Launch there are We Are Marshall and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Lincoln Lawyer is luckily part of the later group and reminds us that McConaughey can carry movie without having to take off his shirt in every scene.

Lincoln Lawyer is a thrilling drama about a cocky and smooth defense attorney Mick Haller, played by McConaughey, who represents a high-profile client on charges of attempted murder. But as new evidence continues to pile on, Mick starts to grow suspicious that perhaps his client isn't telling him everything. With twists and turns at every corner, Lincoln Lawyer keeps you guessing till the very end.

With the help of that distinct country voice and southern charm, McConaughey takes the movie to another level with this portrayal of the fast-talking lawyer. With the role of Mick, McConaughey is actually given a chance to show off a range of emotions that will truly surprise viewers. Mcconaughey doesn't carry this alone, Lincoln Lawyer gets some great acting from the likes of William H. Macy, Michael Pena, John Leguizamo, Josh Lucas, and Marisa Tomei. The only black sheep of his movie comes from the alleged murderer Louis Roulet, played by the ever wooden Ryan Phillippe. The only thing I find amazing from Phillippe's attempt at acting is his unique talent to deliver every line of dialogue without moving a single muscle on his face.

The tension and intensity that begins to engulf Mike as the case continues is stellar. Lincoln Lawyer really pushes Mike to edge as his whole world becomes begins to collapse due to his Attorney-Client relationship. This is where Lincoln Lawyer really comes alive and delivers a must see movie experience. The court room scenes are some of my favorite scenes in the movie and there are plenty. The approach they took to portraying the lawyer aspect of the film feels accurate and realistic. The plot is solid and keeps you invested right from the beginning and keeps the grip tight throughout the movie. The movie keeps a good pacing and the dialogue is smart and witty. The film's color and camera work gives a very raw feel although at times it can be a little too unstable. The story and characterization is done well but there are a few things that should have been given more focus, like Mike and Maggie's relationship and more insight as to why they got divorced. The movie touches on the idea with a scene or two but never really reveals too much. We also never really get too much on Mike's relationship with his daughter. My biggest problem with the film was the underwhelming ending that really had everything necessary to end the movie with, but still felt lackluster when it came. However, don't let these few problems sway you. I strongly recommend this film and promise you that you will leave satisfied.

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