The Lincoln Lawyer

A more interesting lead actor may have elevated The Lincoln Lawyer into top-notch legal thriller territory. Instead, we get Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller, a defence attorney who cruises around LA in his chauffeured town car helping creeps play the justice system. Though his clients include gangbangers and hard-nosed bikers, it takes a baby-faced rich guy (Ryan Phillippe) charged with rape and attempted murder to activate Mick’s conscience. Whether his new client is guilty isn’t the subject of much suspense, and Mick finds himself playing for both the defence and the prosecution in order to protect his family. Watching McConaughey and Phillippe try to outwit each other is enjoyable for a while, but the endless twists and reversals test both plausibility and patience. McConaughey isn’t charismatic enough to overcome these flaws. –Matt Semansky