Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is not a straight-shooting lawyer, he’s corrupt, cunning and will do anything if it means more ka-ching for his back pocket. The only thing he won’t do is let an innocent man go to prison, and for this he avoids taking on the case of anyone who could be genuinely innocent. Instead, he chooses, and loves, a life that defends the guilty, and should they protest their innocence to him, that’s okay, they’re still guilty because he only defends the guilty, and everyone claims they’re innocent, don’t they? However, in taking on the case of Louis Roulet’s (Ryan Phillippe) – a highly influential and wealthy individual accused of attacking a prostitute – is Haller going to have to change his stance and stop an innocent man from spending his life in prison?
Twists and turns are to be expected in any crime-thriller and some are done better than others, the last twist unfortunately having a relative predictability to it, I mean Roulet is a Momma’s boy. What does make the film intriguing is the setup of Haller being stuck in a catch-22 situation; he can’t say anything about the case he’s representing due to attorney-client privilege, which means his evidence would be inadmissible, he could face prison and lose his license, and yet without the truth more lives could be ruined.
Determined not to be suckered into a situation, Haller desperately tries to claw his way out, but when his friends and family are in danger will he keep a clear head? Or will he be forced to cover everything up to save them, even if it means sacrificing himself, and his one remaining scruple – not to let an innocent man suffer.
Matthew McConaughey, as always, delivers one hell of a stellar performance as Haller; managing to create a guy that’s as detestable as he is likeable. Leaving you to root for him even as Haller takes pride in defending the guilty; blackmailing; bribing; having his driver automatically put on headphones just so he can’t testify to anything incriminating; to the beautiful touch of his license plate reading ‘NTGUILTY’. However, in having a guy cross the line so many times, when he eventually refuses to do it, it carries much more weight than the typical goody-two-shoes hero. McConaughey plays Haller with such suave charm and a boyish twinkle that it lets the audience excuse his behaviour, and, when teamed with a con-artistry smile, makes him delightful to watch. Although McConaughey does manage to squeeze in a couple of scenes in his signature white vest, at which time I was reminded that it was him, and not his character. Ryan Phillippe is brilliant as Roulet, his character changing back and forth in the blink of an eye, and with such a strong performance I wonder why he hasn’t done more of these roles.
Bryan Cranston also makes a quick appearance as a detective closing in on his game, but is he picking up the right scent? The problem is we don’t see enough of him, and the same could be said for many of the surrounding characters. The person that falls foulest of this being Michael Peña, who plays Jesus Martinez, his scenes with McConaughey being the most charged and moving, and yet they’re far too short and too few, meaning that the final impact for the character is missing. In focusing almost solely on Haller you experience the pressure he feels, loneliness, and the consequences should he fail, but it comes at the cost of losing a wider story that could have made this film one of the best crime-thrillers to date. Still, it’s one of the most interesting storylines of a man stuck in losing himself to his career, and in keeping that last thread of right and wrong. By having such a rich and complex character it’s therefore no surprise that Netflix has done a show of the same name following ‘Mickey’ Haller, and it is definitely worth a watch.
It might not have you on your toes, but The Lincoln Lawyer leaves you scratching your head and enjoying a wry smile or two, especially when, like a great con job – all the pieces come together.
Director: Brad Furman
Other notable works:
- The Infiltrator 2016
Writer: John Romano
Other notable works:
- American Dreams 2002-2005
Based on the book The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly.
