The Lincoln Lawyer

A pleasant surprise and sheer pleasure from a smart film, and I'd say there have been few legal dramas of the same quality as this since Coppola's magnificent The Rainmaker. Matthew McConaughey has finally shed the jaded skin of the sunny boy on the surfboard, and after years (since his role in Schumacher's A Time to Kill) he has returned to what he does best: a passionate advocate who evokes ambivalent feelings – you want to kick him for his cockiness, but you're rooting for him at the same time. The clever script contains so many plot twists that they would be enough for three other films, and I nod my head in approval and highly recommend it. (05/31/2011)

The Lincoln Lawyer is a nice chill-out flick with 1990s stars, especially Matthew McConaughey, who reprises his most remarkable role of that period (the attorney in A Time to Kill). Too bad that the script oversimplifies some of the plot twists and the connections between them, opting to look cool at the expense of being realistic. That drags the film down, weakens its impact as a thriller and buries any potential for drama. Because of this, it ends up being nothing more than “cool fun”. (08/11/2011)

This deceptive courtroom drama, in which no one acts honestly, was based on Michael Connelly’s popular novel of the same name. The corrupt nature of most of the characters, not excepting the protagonist, does not serve the film as an object of criticism. On the contrary, The Lincoln Lawyer gently convinces us that it can’t be any other way today. What’s important is to have something on everyone and if you don’t know more than the other, you at least pretend that you do. Naturally, the outer shell ultimately gives way to an uncorrupted core, a “nice” story with a lesson about decent behaviour at the end, but I enjoy the fact that traditional values are called into question in a film about law and justice. What’s even more surprising is that I also liked how Matthew McConaughey conceived his character of yet another arrogant hotshot, which – unlike a dozen of his previous roles – actually makes sense this time. You get the feeling that he is hiding something more behind his behaviour. If he didn’t show off, he would be either a zero or pushing up daisies. This dramaturgically complete, though somewhat long, film is held up from the side by excellent actors in supporting roles (Bryan Cranston, William H. Macy). Its lack of functionality as a thriller is a problem of viewer expectations rather than a problem with the directing. It would need more unrevealed cards, more suspense and more reasons to worry about someone’s wellbeing. But I had no problem with the film as a drama. 75% (08/10/2011)

Who would ever have thought Matthew McConaughey could act so well. Without thinking twice, I rate the role of Mick Haller as his best. Ryan Phillippe was also an excellent choice with the first role that suits him in a long time. A quality script with a successful plot. 4.5 stars. After much thought, I'm leaning towards a higher rating because the film as a whole made a good impression on me. (12/11/2011)

From beginning to end, an extremely suspenseful film, which shows that it was born in the head of a single good writer and not in the skulls of three or more Hollywood screenwriters. Thoughtful, surprising, interesting, great. Matthew McConaughey is quite convincing in yet another lawyer role (the top-notch Amistad, the miserable A Time to Kill), the cast of other actors and actresses is flawless, and the rich plot and brisk direction make the two hours fly by like nothing. (08/04/2012)