New Line Cinema | Release Date: April 20, 2007
8.4
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 363 Ratings
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301
Mixed:
43
Negative:
19
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2
DeanD.Sep 5, 2007
Plot spoiler warning! As a lawyer, I can say there were two major flaws in the plot. First, the notion of double jeopardy is nonsense. Crawford was never tried and acquitted, the charges were dropped for lack of evidence. Hence, they could Plot spoiler warning! As a lawyer, I can say there were two major flaws in the plot. First, the notion of double jeopardy is nonsense. Crawford was never tried and acquitted, the charges were dropped for lack of evidence. Hence, they could be refiled if new evidence came to light. That said, being guilty of murder didn't make sense if he couldn't be charged with attempted murder. His wife died because the hospital turned off her respirator, which they were presumably entitled to do under the law, with his permission. How can that be murder if under the double jeopardy concept, he couldn't be charged again with shooting his wife? Doesn't compute. Aesthetically, I thought Willy was obnoxious and his "conversion" was laughable. And the affair of a gorgeous senior partner with an incoming jr. associate.......in your dreams. Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful
2
solutions10Oct 6, 2011
Crime dramas like these, which only exist to keep you guessing until the end about the criminal mastermind's seemingly perfect crime, sort of have to make sense for that idea to work. Fracture doesn't fulfill that criteria. The legalCrime dramas like these, which only exist to keep you guessing until the end about the criminal mastermind's seemingly perfect crime, sort of have to make sense for that idea to work. Fracture doesn't fulfill that criteria. The legal proceedings are riddled with creative liberties, making the entire thing a fiasco. The ending turns out to be laughably stupid, and the bad guy is predictably caught doing something insanely dumb...except what he's doing wouldn't actually be a retrial for a separate crime as it is in the film, since he didn't murder his wife, they pulled the plug on her in the hospital. His attempted murder charge still stands, but murder does not, and that's sort of a ridiculous way to catch him at the end. Also, since when do criminal masterminds openly brag to others about getting away with attempted murder all by themselves? Did it not occur to this guy that someone else might possibly be listening in somewhere? You're only talking to the goddamned prosecutor that will do anything to take you down, and you're openly admitting as loud as possible that you shot your wife and then got away with it? The "twist" as to why there's no evidence is also just stupid. It's circumstantial evidence and would never hold up in court, as it's nothing more than a theory by the prosecution that can't possibly be proven. All the bad guy has to do is deny it, and that's the end of it, since there's no evidence linking the events together, which was sort of the whole goddamned point of his plan. That's not evidence. If the bad guy had just said, "Get out" once he saw this prosecutor enter the premises, he would have gotten away with everything. Instead, he takes the opportunity to laugh and gloat about his perfect murder. And then, look at that, no one saw this coming: People are listening outside. Oops! Must've forgotten to read about how many criminals get caught by bragging about it in local bars. None of the characters besides Hopkins are the slightest bit interesting, so any time he's not on screen, we're just waiting for him to turn the tables on the prosecutor again, due to the prosecution's seemingly impossible stupidity. The rest of the plot seemed like it was just filler. With an ending and a twist this bad, not to mention one that doesn't make any sense, with a legal rule that's badly misinterpreted and totally bogus to finally catch the bad guy, the film just has no excuse. Expand
0 of 6 users found this helpful06
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3
BroyaxJan 25, 2019
Film procédurier typique avec rebondissement in extremis téléphoné à la clé et une fin qui ne me plaît guère, pour ne pas dire pas du tout... Le film souffre également de longueurs et le rôle de Rosamund ne sert strictement à rien, même siFilm procédurier typique avec rebondissement in extremis téléphoné à la clé et une fin qui ne me plaît guère, pour ne pas dire pas du tout... Le film souffre également de longueurs et le rôle de Rosamund ne sert strictement à rien, même si elle est belle, bien coiffée, bien fardée et prête pour son défilé de mode...

Ce qui est plus intéressant réside dans le face-à-face entre Ryan et Anthony avec mention très spéciale pour le vieux, sardonique et machiavélique à souhait... c'est tout-à-fait le genre de méchant monsieur qu'on applaudit à tout rompre pour son charisme et son intelligence, à la manière peut-être d'un certain Monsieur Lecter d'ailleurs.

Mais la morale hollywoodienne vient à la rescousse avec son vice rebondissant de procédure, peu vraisemblable et tiré par les cheveux. Mais cela dit, si on entre dans les détails, ce genre de polar démonstratif ne tient pas debout deux secondes...

Une idée néanmoins intéressante sur le papier et un Sieur Anthony qui nous fait jubiler et ricaner en même temps... mais l'exécution (si je puis dire) est ici beaucoup trop à la masse avec la fin pourrie directement sortie du Kinder Surprise.
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0 of 4 users found this helpful04
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2
JasonP.Apr 30, 2007
I have to agree with Leslie H. The only amusing parts of this film come from Anthony Hopkins few charming scenes that'll put a smile on your face. You end up cheering for the bad guy to get away in this movie because the lawyer I have to agree with Leslie H. The only amusing parts of this film come from Anthony Hopkins few charming scenes that'll put a smile on your face. You end up cheering for the bad guy to get away in this movie because the lawyer he's up against in a total A-Hole who only cares about himself. Also, the romantic aspect of this film where the hot shot lawyer is having a sexual relationship with his boss, which makes you hate him even more, serves no purpose to the entire storyline. The ended that was suppose to put a "Oooh!" on your face really ended up being a "Whatever..." The twist at the end was so ridiculous and obvious half way through the movie, that I lost all interest in the storyline. I originally put this movie at a 3, but as I write more bad things about it, I realized this movie really deserves a 2! Expand
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0
LeslieH.Apr 26, 2007
His "plan" would have failed any of 50 ways, each one sending him to a life sentence. What if a different cop answered the call? What if they tested the gun when they were supposed to? What if they had someone else take his confession? Since His "plan" would have failed any of 50 ways, each one sending him to a life sentence. What if a different cop answered the call? What if they tested the gun when they were supposed to? What if they had someone else take his confession? Since the "plan" relies on 50 strange things happening his way, there was no plan. Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful