The Lincoln Lawyer: three and a half stars
Rated: R for coarse language and mature subject matter
I often wonder if defence attorneys lead the action-packed lifestyles they are portrayed as in the movies, lives where they must keep one eye open while they sleep for fear of some deranged client coming into their houses and killing them in their beds, lives where something dark and sinister is lurking for them around every corner, waiting to pounce like hungry cats on a tasty morsel.
I wonder, too, why Matthew McConaughey hasn’t played a serious role for who knows how long. The man’s a fantastic actor, and just because he’s one of the most gorgeous guys on the planet doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be thrown a decent script every now and then.
The Lincoln Lawyer showcases McConaughey’s talents the same way A Time To Kill did way back in 1996. I love movies about wisecracking tough guys who can silver-tongue their way out of a bad situation; I love big cars that make a lot of noise when you drive them; I love courtroom dramas. I love The Lincoln Lawyer because it has all three of these things. It also sets up McConaughey with a great supporting cast. Way too often movies utilize one big-name actor and leave the other roles for smaller, less important actors.
The movie is about Mick Haller (McConaughey), a defence lawyer who does most of his job out of the back of his Lincoln. He used to drive the car himself until a DUI took away his license. Judging by how much Haller drinks, I’m surprised the car wasn’t written off. Now he has a chauffeur named Earl (Laurence Mason) drive him all over L.A. Haller has some pretty seedy clients, ranging from prostitutes to drug traffickers. Does Haller mind? Not one bit; he’s a defence attorney – innocent or guilty doesn’t even play into the bigger picture; it’s all about the Benjamins.
I’m not entirely certain why The Lincoln Lawyer didn’t receive the acclaim it deserved. My guess is that people just don’t want movies like this anymore. We want action; we want special effects; we want 3-D. God forbid a film in old fashioned 2-D be a success. Who do I sue around here when such a travesty occurs?
‘Til next time! See you at the movies.
