La défense Lincoln

Agatha Christie would be proud of the five-twist ending to THE LINCOLN LAWYER. The film is clearly top-notch and street smart. It's the most efficient, solidly crafted courtroom thriller since PRIMAL FEAR and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. It has so many twists and turns that it's likely that Agatha Christie would be proud of it.

It also reignites the career of Matthew McConaughey as an actor, not just a charismatic star. He manages to be smoothly appealing despite playing a corrupt lawyer who has no scruples in defending guilty clients as long as they provide the cash flow he demands. It's only after defending RYAN PHILLIPPE from a charge of murder and rape that he realizes he does have a few scruples left. And the plot twists provided by the screenwriter John Romano from the novel by Michael Connelly, are deftly handled for maximum shock effect. Brad Furman keeps the direction tight, forceful and swift-moving.

The cast surrounding McConaughey has been selected with care and all of them offer realistic performances. Marisa Tomei is appealing as his ex-wife who knows his shortcomings but is still attracted to him, and William H. Macy delivers a solid performance as his investigator friend. Ryan Phillippe is excellent as the client whose surface appearance belies the fact that he's as street smart as his sleazy lawyer, and FRANCES FISHER is outstanding in a small but pivotal role as the young man's protective mother.

Not since the days of PRIMAL FEAR and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION has there been a more intelligent script than this one, designed to baffle and blindside the viewer in the course of unraveling some startling surprises.

By all means, highly recommended for fans of this genre.

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.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

You gotta love the suave, smart, never quite cocky performance by Matthew McConaughey as a wily defense lawyer in this slightly clever, slightly formulaic movie set in contemporary L.A. He's almost like the James Bond of the justice system, operating outside the rules but ultimately on the side of good. And himself.

The one woman in his life is a common movie cliché, unfortunately, though a useful one--an ex-lover he's still a little in love with, and they once had a child together so there is a tinge of sweetness once or twice. And this woman (played by Marisa Tomei--I never caught whether they were once married or if they were just making good on getting pregnant) works in the D.A.'s office, which is useful for a defense lawyer. The rest of the cast is straight Hollywood fare, including a couple of older men big players who are always strong if a little too dependable and a couple of younger actors who are a bit more pretty than talented. The includes especially the principle perp, Louis Roulet, played Ryan Phillippe (he was that brand new cop in "Crash") who is decent in a role that demanded amazing.

Roulet is super rich, and he's been accused of beating up a prostitute, who in turn is accused of using Roulet in some kind of scam for his cash. It's complicated from the get go, which makes the movie get your attention and hold on--you actually have to be careful not to get lost at first. The mind game/power game between the two men--McConaughey and Phillippe--is the crux of the movie, but it never gets the intensity of say a Hitchcock film (Hitch being the master of the innocent man accused, and of psychological intensity).

In fact, you might say the movie misses a beat by letting the plot center mostly on the lawyer, except for the simple fact that McConaughey is so darned good. The subplot with his child, his relationship with Tomei, and a few other small diversions don't add enough to make them worthwhile. There is, luckily, plenty of screen time with the two men together, though all the courtroom scenes might not count (Phillippe is oddly lifeless there, except for one nice overacted speech about the horror of being accused of a crime you didn't commit). And gradually a very subtle shift in guilt and motive takes place, so that what we thought was happening gets undermined.

And it's no great surprise. The one surprise at the end isn't even a surprise, quite, or if it is, it's not set up enough to really make you care. It's another cliché worked into a well made movie with a single actor shining in something close to an Oscar-winning role.

The title? And the selling point of the movie (a lawyer working out of his Lincoln)? A terrific idea that is only pertinent in small moments, most notably and ludicrously in the motorcycle gang scenes (plural) Which shows another direction the movie might have taken into farce and comedy.

But this is a congenial movie with a serious plot of crime, enjoyable all the way through, nothing more or less than that.

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".

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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