Movie Review: The Lincoln Lawyer

I will admit, I was a bit skeptical going into The Lincoln Lawyer. Even with a lot of positive feedback, I wasn't sure if this film would be any good. The Lincoln Lawyer proved me dead wrong, it's a rock-solid legal drama.

The Lincoln Lawyer focuses on Los Angeles defense attorney Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey). Haller bases his operations out of a Lincoln Continental and mostly lands mid-level cases. That changes when Haller lands the highest profile case of his career defending the son of a Beverly Hills mogul Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe). Roulet is being accused of brutally beating a prostitute. At first, Haller thinks Roulet is innocent and believes this case will be an easy victory for his client. As times goes on, more evidence comes out that turns the case substantially and makes it a highly complex and dangerous case. Not only could Roulet be guilty in this case, he might have committed several similar crimes in the past.

The Lincoln Lawyer is a smart and very entertaining legal drama. The film keeps you engaged throughout with a very intelligent screenplay filled with twists and turns. The numerous twists and turns really add this lingering suspense throughout the film. It has this old-school legal drama feel to and that was a really refreshing touch. The acting across the board is great. This is the single best performance of Matthew McConaughey's career. I don't tend to be a big fan of McConaughey, but here he is charismatic and really does a great job. Ryan Phillipe is in top form as well. He creates a really menacing and deceptive character that is sickeningly evil.

The Lincoln Lawyer is a very good flick. It's very smart and well-written. There is a good amount of suspense, twists, and intense courtroom scenes that keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. The premise might not be the most original thing ever, but the execution is very good. The cast is really fantastic. Everybody involved is at the top of their game and the acting really enhances the film to the next level. The Lincoln Lawyer is a piece of old-school entertainment and a true crowd-pleaser. The best film of 2011 so far.

4/5 Stars