Lincoln Lawyer, The : Movie Review


SPOILER ALERT: This review reveals a key plot element. Although the movie discloses it within the first 40 minutes, there are those who may not want to know about it. Anyone in that category is cautioned not to read past the second paragraph until after seeing the film.

When making a movie from a popular, 400-page mystery/thriller novel, the success or failure of the film production often relies more upon the quality of the adaptation than any other single factor. Subplots have to be eliminated, character relationships simplified, nuances eviscerated, and pacing quickened. Complex stories don't necessarily have to be "dumbed down," but they must be streamlined to keep audiences engaged. Previously, only one of Michael Connelly's books, Blood Work, has reached the screen, and that was a disappointment (especially considering Clint Eastwood's involvement). This time, significantly more care has been taken to retain the elements that make the novel a page-turner (including chunks of Connelly's dialogue) while keeping the running length reasonable and not drowning the viewer in exposition. The Lincoln Lawyer is an enjoyable piece of pop entertainment - a motion picture thriller with the feel of the numerous John Grisham adaptations that followed one another in a pipeline from book to screen during the 1990s.

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Author : James Berardinelli