MOVIE REVIEW: The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Well, this was an interesting surprise. Matthew McConaughey in a movie that's not a romantic comedy, and where he doesn't play a half-baked meathead. Enter The Lincoln Lawyer, where McConaughey plays a shady criminal defense attorney, whose main clientele is the typical street scum of Los Angeles. Obviously a substantial departure from what he's done in the past, he carries the film with unquestionable charisma and the way he manifests his character. The actual movie itself...well...

Mickey Haller, a criminal defense attorney, conducts his consultations out of the back of his Lincoln sedan and away from the scrutiny of the office environment. One day, he is given the opportunity to defend the playboy son of a wealthy Beverly Hills mogul, who has been accused of murdering a prostitute in a bar. Through a series of contacts, Haller works his way into trying to manipulate the jury without having to let Roulet, his client, walk the green mile. That is, of course, when he realizes the linking role Roulet originally played in a case that didn't go so well for one of his earlier clients...

I really wanted to enjoy The Lincoln Lawyer, but honestly, I thought the way the director executed the project was...lackluster. The investigation versus the cross-examination courtroom scenes almost feel like they're coming from two completely different films. Needless to say, I was interested at the investigation aspect of the story, but when it came to the actual courtroom scenes, it just felt like perfunctory melodrama that ultimately drove the film into predictability. On the other hand, the acting was fine, and I think McConaughey actually managed to outshine the rest of the cast as the swaggering Haller, it's just a shame they couldn't tighten up the script and make the scenes with testimonials interesting. So yeah, I was a little disappointed with the way the film turned out, but at least I enjoyed the aspects that worked for me.

6/10

Peace,
- Jon