The Lincoln Lawyer

Name: The Lincoln Lawyer
Genre: Drama
Released: March 18, 2011
Duration: 119 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Matthew McConaughey

2011

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 211 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 211 Ratings

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The Lincoln Lawyer

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Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: March 18, 2011 | R

Starring: Matthew McConaughey

Summary: Mickey Haller is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Haller has spent most of his career defending garden-variety criminals, until he lands the case of a lifetime: defending a Beverly Hills playboy accused of assault. But the seemingly straightforward case suddenly developsMickey Haller is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Haller has spent most of his career defending garden-variety criminals, until he lands the case of a lifetime: defending a Beverly Hills playboy accused of assault. But the seemingly straightforward case suddenly develops into a deadly game of survival for Haller.[Lionsgate]

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Director: Brad Furman

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 119 min

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Critic Reviews

Boxoffice Magazine Pete Hammond

Mar 14, 2011

The most surprising courtroom drama since 1985's "Jagged Edge," The Lincoln Lawyer is a don't-miss cinematic page-turner with enough twists to fill five movies. Read full review

Empire James White

Mar 19, 2011

A solid thriller with McConaughey doing what he does best. Read full review

Roger Moore

Mar 16, 2011

Populated with a peerless supporting cast, actors who bring just the right history to their roles. Read full review

Rick Groen

Mar 17, 2011

What began as quick and engaging, Hollywood craft at its most proficient, ends as dull and predictable, Hollywood product back in formulaic mode. Read full review

Kirk Honeycutt

Mar 9, 2011

The film is only "superior" though, not great. The themes feel shopworn and devotee of crime fiction can point to the any number of antecedents for these characters. Read full review

Joe Williams

Mar 18, 2011

Strikes an uneasy compromise between liberty and justice. It marches at an efficient pace, but there's too much collateral damage to believability. Read full review

Joe Neumaier

Mar 18, 2011

There's a reason potboiler paperbacks don't make good movies - there's too much outlandish plot, even for Hollywood. Read full review

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User Reviews

gimmedatsammich

Jul 14, 2012

A tight, gripping legal thriller from start to finish. This is the role Matthew Mcconaughhey was born to play. Intelligent, funny, and utterly enthralling- courtroom dramas don't get much better than this. One of last year's best movies- a shame the critics don't seem to agree.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

lkusa

Mar 19, 2011

This film was more engaging and interesting than I had expected. McConaughey is still a mediocre actor, but he was better in the film than I had expected, and the rest of the cast was well-cast.
The plot was very good, the courtroom scenes were also, and the movie kept my interestThis film was more engaging and interesting than I had expected. McConaughey is still a mediocre actor, but he was better in the film than I had expected, and the rest of the cast was well-cast.
The plot was very good, the courtroom scenes were also, and the movie kept my interest throughout with a few unexpected twists. Kudos to all involved.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

AlvaradoKTA

Jun 20, 2012

The Lincoln Lawyer provides good thrills with generally good acting and in my opinion, a great plot. The film does however suffer from of Hollywood cliches.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

asthobaskoro

Apr 12, 2011

I don't think it's great movie, doesn't offer any twist in this courtroom drama thriller formula. But it's pretty hard if you miss a few scene. With charming and solid cast, this movie should you watch, good and pretty enjoyable.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

grandpajoe6191

Sep 27, 2011

The movie is decent and tedious at first but it gets better and better until in the end after watching "The Lincoln Lawyer", you will feel what a lawyer who drives a Lincoln car really is.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

A_Northerner

Jul 7, 2012

Having enjoyed the book by Michael Connelly, the film held no surprises for me but I was still curious as to how successfully the story could be transferred to the big screen. Matthew McConaughey stars as The Lincoln Lawyer Michael Haller, an LA defence lawyer who operates out of the back ofHaving enjoyed the book by Michael Connelly, the film held no surprises for me but I was still curious as to how successfully the story could be transferred to the big screen. Matthew McConaughey stars as The Lincoln Lawyer Michael Haller, an LA defence lawyer who operates out of the back of his chauffeured Lincoln.

Employing all sort of tactics to maintain his cash flow, Haller appears brash and without morals as he keeps LA's undesirables out of prison. However, this all changes when he gets drawn into a deadly game of secrets with his latest client, the young, rich Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe).

The screenplay does it best to squeeze in most of the sentiment and moral dilemmas that the book obviously had more time to focus on. Used to winning, Haller struggles with the dangerous situation as he deals with the complex mix of legal obligations, client and attorney privilege and his previous moral shortcomings.

McConaughey shines as the charismatic Haller and will hopefully stick to more meaningful roles in the future based on his performance here and that in his upcoming film Killer Joe. His performance is even stronger when viewed in relation to Phillippe's, who doesn't deliver the menace of the book's character. Michael Pena and John Leguizamo provide strong support to the main characters including William H. Macy and Marisa Tomei in typically minor roles.

Director Brad Furman tries gives some verve to the courtroom scenes with some non-typical angles, but all in all he lets the story play out adequately. The attorney versus client story seemed remarkably similar to that of Ryan Gosling versus Anthony Hopkins in Fracture in 2007.

A word on the soundtrack, which stays true to the hip-hop references of the book. Connelly explains that Haller's interest in the hip-hop genre stems from his driver Earl. I don't feel that this came across enough in the film and that the soundtrack appears to be a typical 'street' savvy selection of music selected for any LA based film. It is interesting that musical duties fell to Cliff Martinez, who had the same role for Drive, also set in LA, and the two soundtracks could not be further apart with the exception of Kalinsky's 'Nightcall' which appears in both.

A successful transformation from book to big screen.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

May 22, 2018

Film à procès procédurier très classique dans sa présentation avec le bellâtre sur le retour Matthieu MacCotruc -presque supportable ici- sa femme couguar Marisa Tomei -encore bonne- et le blanc-bec -le jeune bellâtre- Ryan Bidule...

Très classique à ce qu'il semble, car les apparences sontFilm à procès procédurier très classique dans sa présentation avec le bellâtre sur le retour Matthieu MacCotruc -presque supportable ici- sa femme couguar Marisa Tomei -encore bonne- et le blanc-bec -le jeune bellâtre- Ryan Bidule...

Très classique à ce qu'il semble, car les apparences sont trompeuses : en règle générale, le ténor du barreau baise son client mais ici, c'est l'inverse qui se produit ! Le doute s'efface bien vite en effet sur les intentions et la personnalité du jeune gosse de riches impliqué dans cette sordide affaire...

La grande qualité du film est sans conteste son rythme élevé, un bon point pour un film à procédures, on en conviendra. L'autre qualité concernerait la suite de rebondissements à faire mourir de honte un ballon de basket... sauf que ce n'en est pas une en dernier recours, votre Honneur !

Le film se croit malin avec son scénario qui tire les ficelles de part et d'autre mais s'enlise de lui-même dans les sables mouvants de l'invraisemblance carabinée et surmultipliée. C'est tout simplement aberrant de A à Z, tellement aberrant que cela confine au grotesque, surtout à la fin lorsque des tas de lapins sortent du chapeau-surprise. Alors que pendant ce temps, de gros trous dans l'intrigue font leur apparition mais ça, les scénaristes bourrés n'en ont cure.

A noter un petit rôle pour Bryan Cranston (Monsieur White), déjà plus brillant que toute la distribution réunie ! méditez là-dessus, les bellâtres !

En conclusion, rebondir n'est pas jouer, y compris en vieille Lincoln... (une petite Lincoln, elle ne fait que 6 mètres).… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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