Its been a while since we've been assailed by lawyer themed movies very prevalent back in the 90s. We had Tom Cruise as a brash legal upstart coming face to face with the mafia, in The Firm, we had Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington battling political bigwigs in the Pelican Brief, and we had Keanu Reeves fighting for his soul in The Devil's Advocate. And now, in the second decade of the millennium we have Matthew M, being a brash upstart lawyer battling monsters in the Lincoln Lawyer. Okay, maybe not monsters ...
The Skinny: Mick Haller (Matthew M) is a confident, highly snazzy lawyer who operates from the back of his Lincoln, providing his lawyerly service to the denizens of Beverly Hills. This time around, his sweet talking, miraculous ability to achieve golden plea bargains is put to the test when his rich client (Ryan Phillips) refuses to admit to the assault and battery of a social escort claiming his innocence. Based on the character of the Michael Connelly legal thrillers.
The Helmer: Brad Furman - The Talk (2007), Buried Alive in the Blues (TV doc) (2005),
Unbroken (Short) (2003), The Stranger (Short) (2003), Fast Forward (Short) (2002).
The Scribe: John Romano - The Prodigy (2011), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), The Beast (TV) (2009), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), American Dreams (TV) (2002), Monk (TV) (2002), Providence (TV) (2001), Third Watch (TV) (1999 - 2000), The Third Miracle (1999), Michael Hayes (TV) (1998), Early Edition (TV) (1996), Dark Angel (TV) (1996), Sweet Justice (TV) 1994), Class of 96 (TV) (2003), Knots Landing (TV) (1991 - 1992), Cop Rock (TV) (1990), LA Law (TV) (1990), Hill Street Blues (TV) (1986 - 87).
Michael Connelly - Novelist - The Lincoln Lawyer (novel) (2011), Blood Work (novel) (2002), Level 9 (TV) (2002).
The Casts: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, John Leguizamo, Michael Pare.
The Prediction: I'm looking forward to this movie because I know its going to be good and satisfying. Why? Let me count the ways .... Number One: Its not about aliens, demons, vampires, werewolves, cute creatures and their ilks; Number Two: Its based on a best selling legal thriller, which is always a good thing; Number Three: It has a very old (and steady) hand as screenplay writer / scriber writing the movie; Number Four: Marisa "Hot Mama" Tomei; Number Five: Michael Pare - superstar that almost made it, of the 80s, he of the Streets of Fire fame: and Number Six: Matthew M. All in all, this looks pretty decent and will prove to be an entertaining escape into Hollywood-dom. Its a no-brainer.
