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Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Michael Peña ... see more see more... , Josh Lucas , Erin Carufel , Christian George , John Leguizamo , Trace Adkins , Laurence Mason , Frances Fisher , Margarita Levieva , Bob Gunton , Mackenzie Aladjem , Michaela Conlin , Bryan Cranston , Michael Paré , Reggie Baker , Javier Grajeda , David Castro , Conor O'Farrell , Charlie Hirsch , Roland Feliciano , Jeffrey R. Cole , Andrew Staes , Donnie Smith , Sam Upton , Matthew Moreno , L. Emille Thomas , Kate Mulligan , Edwin Dunn , Eric Huus , Rick Filkins , Melanie Molnar , Stephanie Mace , Yari Deleon , Randy Mulkey , Scott Wood , Earl Carroll , Melanie Benz , Eric Etebari , Sharyn Bamber , Katherine Moennig

Matthew McConaughey stars in this legal thriller as a low-rent defense attorney named Mickey Haller. Most of the time, Mickey barely keeps his head above water, representing low-life clients and worki... read more read more...ng out of the back of his car. He thinks he's landed the case of a lifetime when he's hired to defend a rich playboy (Ryan Phillippe) who stands accused of rape and attempted murder, and eagerly accepts his new client and the massive payoff that's sure to come with him. But Mickey soon discovers that he's become ensnared in a twisted plot where no fee in the world is high enough to pay for the deadly workload, and his only hope of survival may just lay in his own skills as a long-practiced double-crosser. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

58,366 ratings

Critics

84% liked it

160 critics

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Brad Furman

Release Date: March 10, 2011

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DVD Release Date: July 12, 2011

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Stats: 5,955 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,955)

  • stuartb1234
    March 29, 2012
    stuartb1234
    Good adaptation of a great book, better than I would have expected and a sign of good things if the rest of the Mickey Haller books get made into movies. Now we just want to see a Harry Bosch movie.
  • Deano78
    December 29, 2011
    Deano78
    A stylish court room thriller, of which there haven't been enough good ones around for a long while. It does feel like a John Grisham adaptation, which is a big compliment. Although with some humour along the way. A good modern feel cast of stars handle it well and there are some... read more nice twists along the way. If you like the more like this films, then snap this up quick!
  • MrMarakai
    October 18, 2011
    MrMarakai
    Court room drama's and legal jargon can be surprisingly gripping entertainment, which makes me wonder why there isn't more of them. Unfortunately, we've been fed a staple of John Grisham stories throughout the years which I find empty and do very little for me. But it was John Gr... read moreisham adaptation "A Time to Kill" years ago that Matthew McConaughey was actually any good in a film. Until now.
    L.A. criminal lawyer Mick Haller (McConaughey), who works out of his chauffeured Lincoln Continental car, takes on an unusually high-profile case defending Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), the scion of a wealthy family who's accused of beating and raping a prostitute. There's clearly more to it than meets the eye though, and it may tie into a case Haller tried some years ago.
    Slick, fast and cool. This starts with an energy that Grisham adaptations lack and it's good to see McConaughey drop those abysmal rom-coms and tackle a role more suited to his style. However, with such a strong opening and fast pace, it soon gets bogged down around the midway point and struggles to recover. McConaughey goes from confident and fast talking to angst ridden and desperate rather quickly. It's a sudden change that doesn't suit but McConaughey shows impressive range nonetheless. And just when he gets back to his old self, the denoument then feels rushed. His once strained relationship with his ex-wife becomes unrealistic and the whole affair is wrapped up rather quickly, leaving what was a very strong and potentially great film falling flat.
    A good legal thriller that moves at a brisk pace with several twists and turns. It starts to eventually trip over itself and doesn't fulfill it's early promise but it just about manages to get by on McConaughey's charisma.
  • kenstachnik
    September 24, 2011
    kenstachnik
    McConaughey's best performance in years.
  • cosmo313
    September 14, 2011
    cosmo313
    The Lincoln Lawyer is a courtroom drama/legal thriller based on a book (surprisingly not written by John Grisham) about an attorney named Mickey Haller who conducts his business from the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car. Most of his cases involve defending garden variety crimin... read moreals until the potential opportunity of his career arrives when he is asked to represent a high profile playboy accused of brutally assaulting a woman. Things take a turn for the interesting, dangerous, and dramatic when details of this case begin to mirror those of a case involving a past client, and this new case turns out to be more than he may have wanted to deal with.

    There's nothing really all that original or groundbreaking going on here, but I think that's why I liekd it. It's entertaining, straightforward, solid, and just plain good. It features tropes typical of this sort of thing, but it also avoids some by having a good story that gets work out in a way that's more plausible and less melodramatic than a lot of its contemporaries. Oh, there's twists and turns, but they work just fine.

    What really makes this film a success is the cast and their performances. Matthew McConaughey gets a lot of flack, but his work here should rectify some of that. He does a good job, and his charisma and and personality really make the character interesting snd likeable. Here's to hoping he gets some more quality work like this in the future. There's a lot of notables in this one besides him, and, even though some have just bit parts and aren't seen for very long, they all do a good job, and it's kinda nice seeing lots of big names just show up for a bit, be solid then leave instead of overstaying their welcome. McConaughey has good chemistry with Tomei, Phillippe is passable as the iffy suspect, and Macy (despite looking like a bum) is fun to watch. I think I most liked the small but memorable performance from Trace Adkins who plays a gruff leader of a biker gang who's a repeat client of Haller's.

    This isn't the most memorable film overall, but it makes for a good evening rental. It's got some depth with the characters, though I'm sure the book elaborates far more. That's okay though because this film doesn't connect all the dots for you, and I appreciate that. It's got a nice pacing, it's never boring, and, like I keep saying, it's just pretty solid all around.
  • LWOODS04
    September 12, 2011
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo, Michael Peña, Bob Gunton, Frances Fisher, Bryan Cranston

    Director: Brad Furman

    Summary: Tasked with defending rich lothario Louis Roulet, who's been charged with assault,... read more lawyer Mick Haller finds himself and his family in danger when he deduces the truth behind this and former cases he's worked on.

    My Thoughts: "THE LINCOLN LAWYER is a really smart drama. Matthew McConaughey is very good in these types of roles. The story, the acting, the suspense, all of it is really good in this movie. It has been a while since I have seen a suspense film that has been done as well as this film has been. It was really entertaining watching how it turned from a who-done-it type film and went in an entire different direction. The movie keeps your full attention from beginning to end and it definitely doesn't disappoint. The film has a great cast and I am glad to see Matthew McConaughey doing roles that really shows his talent. He was excellent in the film. I loved Marisa Tomei and William H. Macy in their roles as well. This is a film not to miss."
  • fb1672039553
    September 10, 2011
    fb1672039553
    Our lawyer is really smart and interesting, but the plot only unfolds by the stupidity of our antagonist. Ludicrous, but intense entertainment.
  • flutieman07
    September 4, 2011
    flutieman07
    Very good thriller, despite a slightly underwhelming ending. Not a horrible ending, just seemed like they might have had one last twist up their sleeve that never happened. Lots of shakycam, so beware if you don't like Bourne-style shooting. Check it out!
  • blacksheepboy
    September 3, 2011
    blacksheepboy
    An entertaining crime thriller that is not very original but neither does it disappoint. The plot is pretty interesting, with the typical expected twists, and it has some good performances, except, of course, for Ryan Phillippe, who is mediocre and inexpressive as usual.
  • Stickykk
    September 1, 2011
    Stickykk
    Grade: B+ (88%)

    I have always liked court room films. From "A Few Good Men" to "My Cousin Vinny",I have seen them all. Going into "The Lincoln Lawyer" I did not have a high expectation. I thought it would be a cliche and keep me somewhat entertained. While "The Lincoln Lawyer"... read more didn't bring anything new to the table, I was fully focused for the entire film.

    Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is a defense lawyer who has low-life clients and his office is in his Lincoln car. He acts like a big shot and won't work for his clients unless he is paid first. So yes, Mickey is a pushover to a certain extent. But when a wealthy realtor Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe) is accused of assaulting a woman in her own house, Mickey has to use all of his power to save his client's life . . . and the people he loves. Suddenly the big case that could name his career becomes difficult through many plot twists with previous clients and Mickey's friends. When the movie doesn't revolve around the case, it follows Mickey's life with his ex-wife Maggie (Marisa Tomei) and his child. These scenes break up the court case so the movie is always fresh and interesting.

    What "The Lincoln Lawyer" does so well is keeping the audience entertained. Matthew McConaughey in the leading role is great as Mickey. He plays the role pretty well and makes the audience believe that he actually knows what he is doing. The plot, while predictable, also keeps the audience entertained. While the twists and turns that "The Lincoln Lawyer" throws at the audience don't affect as much as they should, due to being cliches, the character's dialogue and what they do keep the film on its feet. Not for one second did I yawn or grow bored of this film. It may be a two hour film, but goes by fast.

    "The Lincoln Lawyer" doesn't have famous speeches like what you see in "A Few Good Men" and no crazy opening statements from the defendant lawyer like "...And Justice For All", let's get that out of the way. The movie will not give any memorable scenes that will be remembered for years but that's why this film is good. It uses a formula that doesn't need to be changed because it still works. The acting is great, the storyline is unoriginal but very entertaining and some of the twists are predictable. "The Lincoln Lawyer" gives us a great court case with a solid ending and a solid performance from Matthew McConaughey.

View All The Lincoln Lawyer Reviews

Critic Reviews

Rafer Guzman
March 26, 2011
Rafer Guzman, Newsday

It's really just a solid courtroom drama, but these days moviegoers should take what they can get. Full Review

Christy Lemire
March 24, 2011
Christy Lemire, Associated Press

It has nothing to do with the capital of Nebraska or the former president. While you're watching it, though, you'll wish it did. Full Review

Joe Neumaier
March 18, 2011
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

There's a reason potboiler paperbacks don't make good movies -- there's too much outlandish plot, even for Hollywood. Full Review

Ella Taylor
March 18, 2011
Ella Taylor, NPR

Just when you thought Matthew McConaughey had settled into pre-retirement content to play the (dry-aged) beefcake in a string of dippy romantic comedies, the actor comes roaring back with some real ac... Full Review

Laremy Legel
March 18, 2011
Laremy Legel, Film.com

That the premise of the film doesn't make a ton of sense shouldn't dissuade you if you're in the mood for a little escape. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
March 18, 2011
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

The Lincoln Lawyer is not a feat of genre-breaking design. But it is a well-oiled machine. Full Review

Tom Long
March 18, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

The ride can be a bit bumpy, but The Lincoln Lawyer gets you where you're going. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
March 18, 2011
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

It would be more fun if the hero were a little more colorful. All Matthew McConaughey's Haller has to his character is his cockiness, and that gets a bit tiresome. Full Review

Peter Travers
March 18, 2011
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

This is rock-solid entertainment. McConaughey, a cunning mesmerizer in the courtroom, steers this Lincoln into what could be a hell-raising franchise. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
March 18, 2011
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

"The Lincoln Lawyer" just may have the makings of a terrific franchise, if only because it finds McConaughey so clearly in his comfort zone after a string of forgettable romantic comedies and action p... Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Eddie Vogel: You really shot your client's mother?
    • Mickey Haller: Exactly, you got it and I dont.
    • Mickey Haller: I can't wait to show up the next morning so I can kick your ass!
    • Eddie Vogel: Counselor?
    • Mickey Haller: Eddie, we had a deal. Either you pay me, or go with a public defender.
    • Eddie Vogel: How 'bout five grand?
    • Mickey Haller: Ten.
    • Eddie Vogel: (handing Mick a brown envelope) Ain't you gonna count it?
    • Mickey Haller: I just did.
    • Mickey Haller: I said the hospital, not the morgue.
    • Earl: You're nobody 'till somebody shoots you.
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