Peur primale

Original title: Primal Fear

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

267K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

449

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94 Photos

Legal Thriller Psychological Thriller Crime Drama Mystery Thriller

A high-profile murder intrigues a publicity hungry lawyer.A high-profile murder intrigues a publicity hungry lawyer.A high-profile murder intrigues a publicity hungry lawyer.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

267K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

449

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 10 wins & 12 nominations total

Videos6

Featured reviews

advixen

The birth of a star and the resurrection of another

It's not often that viewers get a chance to watch a star being born - that a talented unknown actor's performance that is so spectacular it leads to the A-list in one role is rare: Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, Brad Pitt in Thelma & Louise to name a recent few. But Edward Norton's turn as the "defendant/victim" in Primal Fear is one of those "Wow" moments that leaves the audience salivating for his next performance. In this feature debut, Norton outdistances his role, as does Richard Gere, in a resurrection no less impressive than Norton's star-making turn. Heretofore, Gere has specialized in assorted intelligent professional cad roles. Here, he gets a chance to inhabit one that not only wears his dubious character on his sleeve, but wears it, drives it, drinks it... revels in it. Yeah, sure somewhere there's a heart of gold, but like his client, the layers on top serve him better, and the heart of gold is tarnished. Gere is at his peak, comfortably, cheerfully inhabiting the role.

Laura Linney deserves extra credit for often being the ice-queen foil which propels the two male characters' development; her own character is rather one- dimensional, but she herself squeezes as much dazzle as she can from it. Even though everyone else obviously falls for whatever Gere's Vail purrs into their ears, it's merely enough time for Linney's Janet to get a drag on her ubiquitous cigarette; another step in what will (hopefully) someday be film's love affair with her. Wasted, sadly, are fine character actors like John Mahoney, Steven Bauer, Maura Tierney & Andre Braugher who could have lit up the screen had they not been handed scripts with generic character stereotypes.

See it to watch the ascension of Norton and Gere.

tweeterbirdy

Edward norton does an excellent job

I had just gotten done seeing the movie Fight Club when a relative of mine said " If you like that movie, you'll like Primal Fear." I didn't believe him, because I had believed that Fight Club was the best movie on the face of the planet. Well, he just so happened to have a copy of Primal Fear with him. I watched it and was amazed. I was speechless.The movie has so many twists! I was convinced that it was one of the best movies I had ever seen. Gere's performance is average. I say this because it seems that in many movies he plays the same cocky character. Linney's monologue in the courtroom is mesmerizing . It was just great. And Norton? Well this may be one of his best performances ever. The fact that this was made during the starting of his acting career was unbelievable. It was a great film and Edward norton does an excellent job

9jjnxn-1

Exceptionally good all around

If you want to see excellent acting in the service of an involving well told story this is a good place to start. Across the board there is not one weak performance. Gere has one of his very best roles as a fame loving attorney who chases a headline case that is more than he bargained for. He and the Laura Linney spar and parry both in and out of court with wonderful brio, she is his equal even if he is loath to admit it and the actress's personal strong persona fits the role perfectly. In a star making performance Edward Norton grabs his part by the throat and runs with it, a brilliant job and one that marked him as a true talent to watch. Each secondary roles is filled with top drawer character actors-Frances McDormand as an understanding therapist, Maura Tierney and Andre Braugher as Gere's assistants and on and on all deliver quality work. Alfre Woodard deserves special mention as the no nonsense slightly cantankerous judge who tipples a little on the side. She takes what could have been a throwaway part and makes her both memorable and humorous. A little overlong you won't notice so good is the acting and once it gets going the story keeps the interest level high.

8Maverick1962

My first opportunity to comment on a film

Riveting courtroom drama, starring Richard Gere, with occasional flashes of action. New to me faces that impressed are Laura Linney and Edward Norton, both of whom give outstanding performances against the ever reliable Gere, a sometimes underated star actor.

Kept me on the edge of my chair throughout. One of the best of the courtroom genre films that I have seen.

A coherent script, well directed and edited, leaving me guessing to the end, with a really neat twist in the final stage. Excellent.

8RanchoTuVu

country boy does Chicago

Into big city Chicago political corruption and moral decay comes an ingeniously deceptive sociopath from nearby backwoods Kentucky who we see at the opening as an altar boy singing in an all boy church choir that's performing for the city's elite at a social fundraiser for charity. Like another Gregory Hoblit film (Fracture), you have to accept a certain amount of implausibilities. Like the murder itself, for instance, around which the film evolves. But also like Fracture, this is another (earlier) and surprisingly good take on lawyers and prosecutors (Richard Gere and Lara Linney) and the elusive perfect crime. As well, is the part played by Edward Norton. He's got that backwoods hardscrabble menace down about as well as anyone since those Georgia hillbillies in Deliverance.

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
This is Edward Norton's motion picture debut.

Goofs
It is stated by several characters that a plea cannot be changed mid-trial. However, it is entirely possible to change a plea before sentencing.

Quotes
[last lines SPOILER]
[while in a holding cell in the back of the courthouse]
Roy: Mr. Vail?
Martin Vail: Yeah?
Roy: [stammering] Will you t-tell Miss Venable I'm sorry? Tell her I hope her neck is okay.
Martin Vail: Yeah... I will.
[begins walking away, then turns back]
Martin Vail: Wait... What did you just say? What? You told me just a few minutes ago that you didn't remember. You blacked out. You "lost time" yet again. So, how do you know about her neck?
Roy: [slow clapping sardonically; sneers] Well... good for you, Marty. I was going to let it go at that. You was looking so happy just now. I was thinking, hmmm God. But to tell you the truth, I'm glad you figured it out, because I have been dying to tell you. I just didn't know who you'd wanna hear it from, you know? Aaron or Roy... or Roy or Aaron. Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. A sort of a client-attorney-privilege type of a secret, you know what I mean? It don't matter who you hear it from. It's the same story.
[stammering as Aaron]
Roy: [in a southern accent] I j-j-just... had to kill Linda, Mr. Vail.
[normal voice as Roy]
Roy: That cunt just got what she deserved. But... cutting up that son of a bitch Rushman? That was just a fucking work of art.
Martin Vail: You're good. You are really good.
Roy: Yeah. I did get caught, though, didn't I?
Martin Vail: So there never... there never was a Roy?
Roy: Jesus Christ, Marty. If that's what you think, I am disappointed in you, I don't mind telling you. There never was an Aaron... counselor! Come on, Marty! I thought you had it figured, there at the end. The way you put me on the stand like that? That was fucking brilliant, Marty! And that whole thing like "act-like-a-man"? Jesus, I knew exactly what you wanted from me. It was like we were dancing, Marty!
Martin Vail: Guard!
Roy: [as Vail walks away] Oh come on, don't be like that, Marty. We did it, man. We fucking did it! We're a great team, you and me. You think I could've done this without you? You're just feeling a little angry here, because you started to care about old Aaron, I can understand that, but... you know, love hurts, Marty. What can I say? Hey, I'm just kidding, bud! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings! What else was I supposed to do? Hey, you're gonna thank me down the road, because this is gonna toughen you right up, Martin Vail! You hear me? That's a promise!

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Sgt. Bilko/Jack and Sarah/A Family Thing/Carried Away/From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1996)

Soundtracks
Introitus: Cibavit Eos
by William Byrd
Performed by The Voices of Christ Church Cathedral Choir
Conducted by Stephen Darlington
Courtesy of Nimbus Records