I've got something of a soft spot for crime dramas and legal thrillers. I don't read the books, as I prefer to spend my reading downtime doing other things. But I don't mind taking a few hours on a weekend to try to think my way through a crime or around a court case.
The plot will strike many people as a bit too conveniently contrived, but almost every courtroom drama is. Caught between two clients and afflicted by a bout of conscience, McConaughey is forced with the task of finding a way to bring about justice without breaking the law. The plot's strength is that there are no extraneous characters or incidents. However, the final movement meanders a little as a result, as I was never quite sure when the climax occurred.
What's more, the film manages to somehow feel like Los Angeles--which is, I think, partly why I found myself enjoying it so much. It has none of the iconic buildings or landmarks that are so often associated with the city, and though the central family is extraordinarily wealthy, the film lacks the sort of glitz and glamour that can often be associated with L.A. Instead, as Ella Taylor put it:
Furman paints an unaffected, downright loving portrait of the city without recourse to cutaways of palm trees, Muscle Beach or the palaces of Mulholland Drive. The seaminess, backed by a low-key soundtrack, never seems overdone; as shot by cinematographer Lukas Ettlin, downtown Los Angeles is just what it is — a vitally unplanned muddle of skyscrapers, ugly-functional courtrooms, stuffy bars and sleek corporate suites.
Taylor's description of the city could apply to the film itself, which captures a gritty feeling without being reduced to crudities or tricks.
The Lincoln Lawyer is a solid film. It won't be the most serious or substantial viewing you'll have this year, but it will leave you reasonably entertained and attempting to work out the way the storyline hangs together.
