The Lincoln Lawyer

The Lincoln Lawyer has two good things going for it, and then a bunch of semi-good fluff stuffed around it. First off it features a Lincoln, which is almost a character in itself as the lawyer in the title uses it as his office and a meeting place when he isn't in the bar. Also, the film features Matthew McConaughey in what is probably his best role since Dazed and Confused. McConaughey placed in such a perfectly pompous role, which is almost deserved considering his intelligence, serves the actor very well, and adding the fact that he's a damn good lawyer sporting his Lincoln makes it all the better. In the film, McConaughey's character, a lawyer named Mickey Haller. Haller's got everything going for him. He's got an ex (Marisa Tomei) who he still occasionally sleeps with, a good friend who's also his investigator (William H. Macy), and a driver who's paying off his debt after Haller got him out of a jam. Haller is so good at his job, he twists the system and makes it work for him. As a defense attorney, he isn't very popular, but he doesn't seem to give a shit. When Haller is approached by a millionaire kid who asked for him specifically, he jumps on the case, even as friends warn him to be wary. Perhaps Haller never thought twice about why the kid approaches him, but as he sinks deeper and deeper into a morally repugnant case with a dubiously charming client, things start to shatter around him. The execution of the courtroom scenes are pretty standard, but the source material is strong (based on a novel by Michael Connelly). What is so appealing about the film is McConaughey and how smoothly he fits into the role. An audience won't question his intelligence because his character won't let you. The Lincoln Lawyer is pretty solid entertainment.

The Lincoln Lawyer: ★★★