What happens when you piss your lawyer off and tell him a lie? You get him to finish off your case and then have you charged with a higher crime in than you began with. This is one of them movies that if you don't pay close attention to every scene you might miss some important information.

I like this movie. I have never seen Matthew play such a dirty role in a movie. I like Ryan Phillipe role as well the way he played the role of a good guy and turned out to be guilty simply awesome.

The only thing I do not understand is why he continue to represent this dude when he know he was guilty, knew he killed the cop and knw he was setting him up. Man what a show he put on in court and the ending could of been better.

The acting was great movie great a definite must see.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER is a smarter-than-average courtroom drama. It's based on a book by Michael Connelly and definitely shows some signs of a full novel being chopped down to movie length. However, director Brad Furman keeps the movie tightly-paced and maintains a good balance between the lighter moments and the dramatic ones. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on Furman as a director on the rise. He did a movie a few years back called THE TAKE, which is also set in LA. It's a gritty, well-made flick, which I also suggest. As for the LINCOLN LAWYER, McConaughey is (for once) perfectly cast. He's a smooth talker, as are most of his characters, but he also shows a weariness that's new for him. Furman shoots in extreme close-ups at times, which gets you in the face of the McConaughey's alcoholic turmoil. He also does an interesting rotating shot that starts behind an actor and spins fully around them during a take. It was a bit disorienting but was used to good effect. For an average studio movie, this sure has its share of great actors in smaller roles. William H. Macy stands out as the investigator who works with McConaughey's lawyer. Bryan Cranston from "Breaking Bad" has a small role as cop who's not keen on ole Matthew, and he's so good I wished for more of him. I love Marisa Tomei, but her character feels like it was more developed in the book though. Overall, the movie is well-shot, gritty but polished, funny and tense, and a fresh spin on an old story. I've seen movies about lawyers with a conscience before, but never has the predicament seemed so real and complex. I honestly had no idea how this lawyer would be able to get himself out of the jam he's in. For once, it's nice to have a movie one step ahead of the audience.

Matthew McConaughey stars in this legal thriller as a low-rent defense attorney named Mickey Haller. Most of the time, Mickey barely keeps his head above water, representing low-life clients and working out of the back of his car. He thinks he's landed the case of a lifetime when he's hired to defend a rich playboy (Ryan Phillippe) who stands accused of rape and attempted murder, and eagerly accepts his new client and the massive payoff that's sure to come with him. But Mickey soon discovers that he's become ensnared in a twisted plot where no fee in the world is high enough to pay for the deadly workload, and his only hope of survival may just lay in his own skills as a long-practiced double-crosser.

saw this movie last night and boy! what a good movie it was. i loved it. One of the best movies of this year. a courtroom drama thriller that will really shock you with how good it is. i mean i was since i wasn't expecting much from it seriously, Rotten Tomatoes rating aside but i wasn't sure about it. even as i was watching this movie the first 20 or 30 minutes are just plain nothing, it actually took time to get into the movie and once it did i really started enjoying it and was really glued. i hardly remember any modern movie like this. it was made in a way people enjoy watching it and that is exactly what i did.

Directed by Brad Furman who i don't know nothing about did an awsome job with this movie. Screenplay takes sometime to develop in the beginning but overall well written. plot is edgy, slick, thrilling and filled with twists and turns in a good way, i mean not over done. editing is perfect. everything else technically is good. background music is good. finally got see the good lovable non-annoying talented side of Matthew McConaughey, he did a superb job in this movie shockingly. his best movie in years. two thumbs up to him, i really appreciate it. Marisa Tomei was good too with little screen presence she still leaves a bit of a mark. Ryan Phillippe as a villain is a nice idea but honestly he just looks good in it i don't think he was good but very okay. William H. Macy was okay too. and others too like Michael Pena, Josh Lucas and John Leguizamo. but the bright star here is Matthew who really does a superb job in every scene specially the courtroom scenes where he is so believable and just make you feel he is completely into the character.

i can't think of any negative things about this movie , it was very good. minor flaws are there but beside them the movie stands out. the developments that happens in the movie keeps audience involved so much in the movie. it is thrilling and suspenseful and interesting. movie is enjoyable and entertaining that is a must watch this year. it may not be a classic but it is very stylish and classy feel to it. WATCH IT if you haven't already.