Movie Review: The Lincoln Lawyer

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Friday, 25 March 2011 18:52

Written by Super User

The Lincoln Lawyer
Directed by Brad Furman
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Philippe, John Leguizamo, William H. Macy, Marisa Tomei, Josh Lucas, Bryan Cranston

Actor Matthew McConaughey has always perplexed critics. Clearly he has talent but in too many films he seems content to merely wing it, that is, get by on his Texas “good old boy” charm and looks. Always in great physical shape, McConaughey has become an industry joke because directors seem to insist that he take his shirt off at least once in his films as a favor to female fans.

With his latest starring vehicle, The Lincoln Lawyer, McConaughey has the last laugh as he turns in a fine performance as Los Angeles defense attorney Michael “Mick” Haller.

Mick has not made a lot of friends defending clients who are the antithesis of high society. Every drug dealer, mugger, and murderer in East L.A. has his phone number on speed dial. Ironically they can’t walk into his office because he works out of a classic Lincoln automobile, hence the title and his nickname.

Haller is no saint -- he doesn’t do pro bono work. He makes it clear to his lowlife clients that if they want his services they'd better be prepared to pay. In an early scene, one of his jailed clients, a motorcycle gang member who desperately wants out of the slammer, informs him that he doesn’t have the cash. Mick senses he's being played so he goes before the judge and tells him that he's not ready to start the trial and that it may have to be postponed since he's trying to track down a key witness, “Mr. Green.” Mick quickly receives his retainer.

Greasing palms is de rigeur for Mick. It seems as if every LA County bailiff and bail bondsman has been a recipient of his largesse over the years. One of those bail bondsmen, Val Valenzuela (John Leguizamo), tells him that a rich kid from Beverly Hills named Louis Roulet (Ryan Philippe) got arrested for assault and that he recommended Haller to defend him.

While Mick happily pocket a hefty fee, he wonders why a blue blood from arguably the wealthiest community in the world is seeking his services. As Mick learns more about Louis, the more he realizes that he is dealing with a guy whose dark side is far worse than that of any of his low life clients.

Even worse, Mick begins to suspect that Roulet may actually have committed a murder years ago to which he had a former client, Jesus Martinez (Michael Pena), cop a plea, because he didn't think a jury would acquit his client on a Murder One charge. Martinez had even pleaded with him not to take the deal with the DA.

McConaughey is aided by a terrific supporting cast that includes William H. Macy as an offbeat investigator; Marisa Tomei as Mick’s exasperated ex-wife who is an assistant DA; Josh Lucas as a straight-laced prosecutor; and Bryan Cranston as an old school detective who despises Mick for finding ways of getting criminals acquitted. Philippe may not have much dramatic range but he is Hollywood’s go-to guy for yuppie sociopath roles, and for good reason.

Director Brad Furman makes excellent use of Los Angeles as he showcases middle class neighborhoods as Echo Park and Silver Lake (located just north of Dodger Stadium and downtown LA) as well as hardscrabble communities as Inglewood and Boyle Heights while eschewing the more familiar glitzy LA that we see from film premiers and awards shows.        

As is the case with most film and television whodunit procedurals, there are plot twists which make little sense or seem a bit contrived. Though saddled with a few of those here, The Lincoln Lawyer, nonetheless, is a very fast and enjoyable two hours.

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