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Up
and coming actor Ryan Gosling locks horns with acclaimed veteran
thespian Anthony Hopkins in Fracture, a legal thriller directed
by Gregory Hoblit who has a deft hand with this particular genre
with Primal
Fear and Frequency under his belt.
The story begins with structural engineer Ted Crawford (Anthony
Hopkins) shooting his unfaithful wife (Embeth Davidtz) and arrested
for attempted murder. District Attorney Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling),
a hotshot prosecutor on his way to a high paying job in the private
sector, is assigned to the case. The majority of the film focuses
on Beachum preparing his case against Crawford - who has chosen
to represent himself - as he manoeuvres through the murky waters
of the legal profession, facing a number of moral dilemmas along
the way whilst trying to win an impossible case against a conniving
and intelligent adversary.
Casting Gosling in the lead role works very well, due to the fact
that he is a charismatic and charming actor who knows how to hold
a film on his own. Yet only when Hopkins comes on the scene does
the film start to brim with energy.
Now, due to the combination of the films genre, its marquee actor
(Hopkins), and his characters tendencies to play mind games, shades
of Hannibal Lector inadvertently comes through and this is not a
bad thing. Predictable, yes, but it isn't a hindrance on the film.
Hopkins is such a good actor who handles the films somewhat shaky
material very well, that his blatant rip off of his definitive character
can be forgiven and enjoyed. Also of mention is the electric chemistry
between Hopkins and Gosling.
Surprisingly, Fracture does not go for the usual court room
theatrics, with many of the films more dramatic scenes outside of
the courtroom. Regardless, this is a solid crime mystery - which
although not breaking any new ground - will ensure an enjoyable
night in thanks to its lead actors.
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