Call the Guinness World Book of Records, this is the maximum amount of time Matthew McConaughey has appeared on screen with a shirt. This is the role Matthew McConaughey was made for. A phony, dooshy criminal lawyer. I keep hearing that this his best film in years, but make no mistake, there is no way it can compare with, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. There is a stark contrast between the legal system and real life. In real life, there are many absolutes, but human beings tend to operate in a gray territory. Most of his guilty clients are not completely guilty, but the American justice system is very black and white. Typically, criminal lawyers don't make a ton of money. This man is different. Mickey does his share of flattery, fibbing, and telling bold face lies. Even without the legal background, this man could almost get by on charm alone. This is all done for a greater good...that being his bank account. As a master of deception and duplicity, Mickey is a force to be reckoned with. And I'm not talking about people getting lost in his eyes. As a criminal lawyer, one of his biggest fears is sending an innocent man to jail. He has no qualms with keeping guilty people out of prison. Because it is his professional duty, to serve the best interests of his clients. One of his clients, Louis Roulet (Phillippe), is a wealthy, 32 year old playboy. He's accused of murdering a prostitute. At first glance, it looks like he is framed. It looks like a very open and shut case, until he discovers his client is pure evil. Mickey and Louis, two ruthless men, battling one another in the supreme court of life. A vast conspiracy unfolds, one that comes close to consuming Mickey. A conspiracy that flirts with ridiculousness, but nonetheless, an intriguing one. This film is not your typical courtroom drama. Most courtroom dramas are filled with cheesy melodrama and bad cliches. At the same time, The Lincoln Lawyer is neither groundbreaking, nor particularly innovative. It's an entertaining thriller that makes you think. Just a little bit. Final Verdict: 80 out of 100
Mickey Haller (McConaughey) lawyer who operates without a permanent office. Which is feasible, at this point of the 21st century. All his business is conducted in his car, at home, and at the various homes of his employees. This is comparable to meth houses; it's all done in RVs and mobile homes. To quote the Grateful Dead, "it's hard to run with the weight of gold".
Mickey likes to grease the wheels of justice by greasing some palms. Bailiffs, court clerks, district attorneys, biker thugs, and clients; these people are all part of an extensive and elaborate social network. No real boundaries between professional and personal relationships. His ex-wife, who he shares a child with, is a prosecutor. This is a broad social network, that has worked to his advantage and to his disadvantage. McConaughey's character learns that people that bend the rules to serve you...well they are not always so trustworthy.
The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer
Director: Brad Furman
R
119 Minutes
Writer: John Romano
Based on a Novel by Michael Connelly
Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei and Ryan Phillippe
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
- Sun Tzu, The Art of War