THE LINCOLN LAWYER
3 out of 5 stars

not really sure why netflix thought i’d give this a 4, when it’s really a 3! reason(s) being: some big plot holes here and there, lack of character development, and matthew mcconaughey! :P

the lincoln lawyer (novel by michael connelly) is all about defense attorney, michael haller (mcconaughey), who represents the scum of the earth in the awesome city that is los angeles. riding around his old school lincoln towncar, he meets with clients from crack hos to rich real estate agents who may have a grudge against women i.e. louis roulet. (an angry ryan philippe) he actually reluctantly takes on louis’s case, since he needs a client that will pay. thus, he and his private investigator (a hilarious william h. macy) team up to provide louis with the best defense $ can buy! however, michael’s consciousness gets the better of him when he discovers that louis has been hiding some key things from him i.e. killing another pro, lying about his knife, and fabricating the entire story that he was assaulted first in the victim’s apartment... however, mick is obligated to provide louis with the best service he can fake in the courtroom. you wondering yet if the lawyer can outsmart his cunning client? let’s just say this isn’t that movie fracture, which was 10X better! this just goes limp... :/

now... if ryan philippe played the EXACT SAME CHARACTER as he did in cruel intentions, this would have probably earned a 4. but he didn’t... WHY NOT, RYAN?!? plus, points deducted for not explaining louis roulet’s full motive, his psyche, and his relationship with his mother. (i had a hard time believing the rape trauma story for some reason- probably b/c IT DIDN’T MAKE ANY SENSE.) matthew mcconaughey proves yet again that he’s a great actor when it comes to lawyer roles, but this character seemed to have more demons then mcconaughey was letting on... it’s OK, but there are some significant plot holes that were never answered, which frustrated me... i.e. the plot-twist that wasn’t really a twist AT ALL! however, points are given for an excellent soundtrack and good style. that gritty LA color filtering was PERFECT for this movie... ;)