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1996
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PRIMAL
FEAR
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STARRING:RICHARD
GERE,LAURA LINNEY,EDWARD NORTON,JOHN MAHONEY,FRANCES MCDORMAND,ANDRE
BRAUGHER,MAURA TIERNEY,TERRY O'QUINN,STEVEN BAUER,TONY PLANA,ALFRE
WOODARD
BASED
ON THE NOVEL BY WILLIAM DIEHL
SCREENPLAY
BY ANN BIDERMAN & STEVEN SHAGAN
PRODUCED
BY GARY LUCCHESI
DIRECTED
BY GREGORY HOBLIT
GERNE:CRIME/THRILLER/DRAMA
RATED:AUSTRALIA:MA/UK:18/USA:R
RUNNING
TIME:129 MIN
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If
the 1990's will be remembered for anything, it will be for the numerous
and memorable plot twists and shock conclusions that dominated cinema
at that time. Primal Fear is a case in point. Skilfully directed
by multi- Emmy award winner Gregory Hoblit and exceptionally written
by Ann Biderman and Steven Shagan (based on the novel by William Diehl),
Primal Fear features a number of smartly executed twists and
turns including one stunner which had me reeling at its conclusion.
The movie stars Richard Gere as Martin Vail, a former prosecutor turned
big time, glory hound defence attorney who is despised by the police
and the District Attorney due to his representation of Chicago's more
dubious citizens. When the Archbishop of the Chicago Archdiocese is
brutally murdered, Vail jumps on the case (knowing it will generate
a media storm) offering his services free of charge to the case's
lone murder suspect, a fragile, 19 year old alter boy named Aaron
Stampler (Edward Norton), who was found covered with the Archbishop's
blood and with the Archbishop's ring on his person.
With Stampler maintaining his innocence, Vail digs deeper, finding
sexual abuse with the Chicago Archdiocese and comes across a bungled
multi-million dollar real estate deal which had its investors fuming
at the Archbishop, who pulled the plug on the deal since the land
in questioned belonged to the Catholic Church. Going up against Vail
is his old flame and former colleague Janet Venable (Laura Linney)
who has been given strict orders to win at any cost and to insure
a sentence of death. Things get worse for Vail when his client begins
to exhibit a multiple personality who confesses to the crime.
Primal Fear takes on a number of issues; the corruption of
the law, mental illness, real estate development and sexual abuse
within the Catholic Church. But above all, this movie addresses the
illusion of truth and the deception of innocence.
The acting on show is very good. Richard Gere is solid as always,
with the type of cocky posturing his character inhabits seeming to
come very natural to him. Laura Linney gives a ballsy performance,
as does John Mahoney who is spectacularly nasty as the power hungry
high official. Yet it is Edward Norton who steals the show, putting
on an electric exhibit of acting versatility, easily and eerily transforming
himself from vulnerable child to a tough talking, rage induced murderer
who puts fear into anyone who crosses his path. It is quite possibly
the best debut performance I have ever seen, and the main reason -
but not the only reason - to watch this movie. |
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