lll 1/2
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Philippe, William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo, Michael Pena, Bryan Cranston, Frances Fisher, Bob Gunton, Trace Adkins and Michael Pare. Directed by Brad Furman.
This airport-thriller has been turned into a crafty little courtroom drama. It has the twists and turns one's come to expect from mass-market law-thriller authors like Michael Connolly or John Grisham, and when it's done well, it is what it is, and it's highly entertaining.
Matthew McConaughey is all Southern-fried oily charm as a defense attorney who'll defend anyone if the price is right. He lost his license, so he's ushered around town in his Lincoln, hence the title. When a rich son is accused of the attempted murder of a hooker, he's on the case to defend him. When he starts to develops doubts as to his client's innocence, it gets ethically dicey for him.
The cast is a deep bench of talent. It's not To Kill A Mockingbird, but everyone has fun doing their part. Ryan Philippe's petulant menace as the suspect, William H. Macy as a hangdog investigator, even Bryan Cranston as one of those stubborn idiot detectives who just doesn't like defense attorneys. This movie contains many small pleasures that add up to a satisfying conclusion.
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