The latest law-mystery film, "The Lincoln Lawyer," reminds me of a paperclip. It's fully functional and does what is expected of it. It keeps everything in order and doesn't leave any loose ends, but it also is unremarkable. This paperclip is pretty much the same as all other paperclips, and is likely to be forgotten the moment you no longer have any use for it. "The Lincoln Lawyer," starring Matthew McConaughey, seems to feature some confused character development and is similarly dull—unworthy of a $10 movie ticket, or really even a $5 rental.
The film, based off of a crime novel by Michael Connelly, centers on criminal defense lawyer Mick Haller (McConaughey), who operates out of the back of a Lincoln Town Car driven by a trusty sidekick named Earl. Although he normally deals with street crime and motorcycle gangs, Haller finds himself embroiled in defending a rich, young man (Ryan Phillippe) accused of assaulting a prostitute.
It becomes apparent that his client is more dangerous than he thought, and Haller is faced with the ethical dilemmas of fulfilling his job as a defense attorney and keeping innocent people out of jail, all while bringing about true justice. As the mystery unfolds, what should be a drama about morality turns into a crime thriller, with a couple token gunfights and a lot of Jack Daniels drinking.
Although McConaughey keeps his shirt on throughout the film, his usual smug swagger is definitely present. All of the other characters seem to idolize Haller, whether subtly or outright, and the storyline itself acts to consistently keep him in a positive light. Haller is caught in an ethical dilemma that would keep any mortal man tossing and turning at night, but he maintains the smooth-talking lawyer façade and seems relatively unfazed, making his character seem more blasé than impressive. And in between his prison rendezvous and bar hopping he manages to make it to his daughter's soccer practice. Love him—you have to.
The talent that is present in the movie comes and goes as quickly as fast-food drive-through patrons, and doesn't have much effect in curbing the force that is McConaughey's egocentrism. Marisa Tomei, who plays Haller's quick-witted ex-wife Maggie, worships him throughout the production. Considering she can't stay away from him—or out of his bed—it's a wonder they got divorced in the first place. William H. Macy, playing Haller's right-hand man Frank, is characterized by his shoulder-length surfer hair and is the first person to be killed off. Even Bryan Cranston, playing the gritty Detective Lankford and the only character that doesn't adore Haller, can't have more than 10 minutes on screen.
As for the rest of the film, director Brad Furman seems to have taken the skeleton of all crime-mystery made-for-TV movies and added the dressings of retro flair to make this an altogether forgettable production. The plot is turn-by-turn predictable, which kind of defeats the purpose of a mystery. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like "The Lincoln Lawyer" will be a good addition to Furman's repertoire, whose crown jewel up until now was "The Take."
On a more positive note, it has a really cool soundtrack, opening and closing the film with 80s funk. There's even a little late-90s-style rap that is perfect driving music for the laid-back chauffer and acts as the only reminder that Haller is supposed to be functioning out of his car. But then again, I doubt the producers intended to make the audience think about how they'd rather be driving around with their windows down than watching the movie. Is it a coincidence that the Lincoln Town Car is going out of commission at the end of the year? Hopefully, this movie will be out of the public eye just as quickly.
