To reiterate some facts from my past review of Conviction, I will always remember wanting to be a lawyer more than anything for years growing up. It all started of course with reading John Grisham. Throughout junior high I was obsessed with his novels. Probably heavier reading than for most kids that age, but at least the profession was easier to achieve than anything floating around the other authors I was reading (Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy). Having never read a Michael Connelly novel, the film adaptation of his The Lincoln Lawyer just may make me sway his way.
I continued reading these types of books and still enjoy a healthy dose of Paul Levine, Tami Hoag, or even a nice procedural in the case of Thomas Harris or John Sandford here or there. Not to mention how much I love Kenzie/Gennaro series by Dennis Lehane. However, obviously as I sit here and write a review for another movie, boyhood dreams clearly did not pan out. Thankfully in the case of Michael Connelly, now maybe Hollywood will realize they can get adaptations of his novels correct. After the complete misfire that was Clint Eastwood’s Blood Work way back in 2002, The Lincoln Lawyer shines a light of hope.
In his sophomore outing, after a direct-to-video debut (The Take), director Brad Furman brings a sometimes hilarious, while most of the time quite intense courtroom drama/tale of redemption to the big screen in a big way. While writer John Romano’s last feature was the dismal Nicholas Sparks' weepie Nights in Rodanthe, he reclaims himself beyond words with his adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer. And just when you thought that Matthew McConaughey had completely devolved himself into another celebrity punchline, everyone brings their A-game and knocks all expectations out of the park.
In The Lincoln Lawyer, McConaughey portrays Mick Haller, a slightly sleazy, but ultra-slick lawyer who drives around from client to client with the help of his trusty driver, Earl (Laurence Mason). One morning he’s called in to the tank by bondsman Val Valenzuela (John Leguizamo, The Take) to meet with Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe) who’s just been slapped in the slammer for beating a prostitute to a pulp. Of course Louis swears he didn’t do it, but with the aid of his trusty investigator Frank Levin (William H. Macy), his ex-wife/fellow lawyer Maggie (Marisa Tomei), and a few similarities to a prior case involving a previous client, Jesus Martinez (Michael Peña), sentenced to life in San Quentin, Mick starts to fit the pieces together and gets caught up in a fight for his own life outside the courtroom.
Article comments
1 - Heloise
So now we got Hispanics as pimp and prostitutes instead of black folks? Hollywood only changes the color Of its sheets and moves the bedroom furniture around but same ole stuff. Nice review but I am not buying that this is Oscar fodder. In a sense it is because they like it when non Anglos play the pimp. I get it.
2 - El Bicho
"So now we got Hispanics as pimp and prostitutes instead of black folks?"
Not exactly. I won't spoil it for others, but if you had seen the movie, you would know that your statement isn't exactly accurate. Your psychic powers might need a tune-up.
3 - Heloise
It's coming it's never wrong. Not Oscar fodder I predict.
4 - Costello
Predicting a March movie not getting an Oscar nomination is not impressive