Fracture
Let’s be honest: we like to watch a film about a clever bad guy whose wit is only matched by his cunning use of language paired with the perfect accent. And usually, in the end, we leave the theatre with a smile on our faces, pleased and entertained by the story that unfolded before our eyes. If we don’t figure out the mystery, we’re pleased with the unfolding of events; if we do figure it out before it’s on screen, we either praise ourselves for being clever, or condemn the movie for being sloppy. Strangely, almost all of the above can be applied to the recent murder mystery Fracture.
The story begins with Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant and rich engineer, spying on his wife. Her love affair is passionate: a terrible contrast to the cold shoulder she offers her husband. Ted kills her (per the television commercial) and is arrested giving a full confession. Hot shot young lawyer Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) is called in to finish up his last case for the DA’s office before transitioning to the private cooperate law sector. Of course, his final case proves to be much more difficult than originally thought.
The problem with this: you can already hear the gears of usual story churning and chunking.
The film has its strong and weak points, and unfortunately, the familiar feeling we get when viewing this film is one of its weakest points. That’s not to say that this is a bad film; it’s just familiar. From the twists and turns, to the abstract love story, to the dangerous wit of Hopkins, this story plays out like a new-age version of Silence of the Lambs.
But, the film does have its strong points. Acting was solid, and I mean solid, by the leading roles: Hopkins and Gosling. Both actors did a superb job of portraying the characters they were assigned. Ted Crawford is a man riddled by the infidelity of his wife, and cold with the strength of analytical thinking. Pit against Dr. Moriarty, I’m not sure who would win. Gosling, a developing actor, is improving his resume. Known for his role in The Notebook he steps outside his usual performance (albeit, not much) and creates a character with a real dilemma.
Unfortunately, the glamour stops there. Supporting the story (and cast) is Joe Lobruto (David Strathairn) and Nikki Gardner (Rosamund Pike). Strathairn adds conflict and minor depth to the situation at hand as the acting DA and boss of Willy. Though Pike offers us the typical feminine eye-candy, her character is inconsistent and ultimately serves little plot support. As I’ve preached in all of these reviews, if a character can be removed without dealing a blow to the plot, the character should never have been involved in the first place. This happens with Pike’s character. She’s the new boss, and the quick lay, but outside that, she’s a footnote in the overall story. Strathairn offers some depth as the political DA in charge of Willy’s last case. It’s entertaining, but doesn’t provide much.
But let’s not get to gloomy here: the film making was solid and the direction of Gregory Hoblit was executed with skill. The cinematography was well conceived, and the film was put together very well. As I said before, it’s a very entertaining film. It’s just a bit usual. If you’re paying close attention (like I usually do, for easter-egg purposes) you’re able to figure out the game-winning clue near the 30 minute marker, which results in somewhat of an anti-climatic film. Lucky for us, at no point does the film drag on, and even better, the hero doesn’t always win his battles.
It’s one of the best May releases. If you’re looking for some fun, some wit, some entertainment, this is the film to see. Quoting Venture Brothers: “It is a game of Cat and also Cat.” Check it out; I think you’ll be pleased at the experience, despite its similarities to so many films of its nature. Look closely for the homage to Silence of the Lambs, as there is a Moth pinned to the wall.
Ta-ta,
~ Math
7 of 10. (B)
The story begins with Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant and rich engineer, spying on his wife. Her love affair is passionate: a terrible contrast to the cold shoulder she offers her husband. Ted kills her (per the television commercial) and is arrested giving a full confession. Hot shot young lawyer Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) is called in to finish up his last case for the DA’s office before transitioning to the private cooperate law sector. Of course, his final case proves to be much more difficult than originally thought.
The problem with this: you can already hear the gears of usual story churning and chunking.
The film has its strong and weak points, and unfortunately, the familiar feeling we get when viewing this film is one of its weakest points. That’s not to say that this is a bad film; it’s just familiar. From the twists and turns, to the abstract love story, to the dangerous wit of Hopkins, this story plays out like a new-age version of Silence of the Lambs.
But, the film does have its strong points. Acting was solid, and I mean solid, by the leading roles: Hopkins and Gosling. Both actors did a superb job of portraying the characters they were assigned. Ted Crawford is a man riddled by the infidelity of his wife, and cold with the strength of analytical thinking. Pit against Dr. Moriarty, I’m not sure who would win. Gosling, a developing actor, is improving his resume. Known for his role in The Notebook he steps outside his usual performance (albeit, not much) and creates a character with a real dilemma.
Unfortunately, the glamour stops there. Supporting the story (and cast) is Joe Lobruto (David Strathairn) and Nikki Gardner (Rosamund Pike). Strathairn adds conflict and minor depth to the situation at hand as the acting DA and boss of Willy. Though Pike offers us the typical feminine eye-candy, her character is inconsistent and ultimately serves little plot support. As I’ve preached in all of these reviews, if a character can be removed without dealing a blow to the plot, the character should never have been involved in the first place. This happens with Pike’s character. She’s the new boss, and the quick lay, but outside that, she’s a footnote in the overall story. Strathairn offers some depth as the political DA in charge of Willy’s last case. It’s entertaining, but doesn’t provide much.
But let’s not get to gloomy here: the film making was solid and the direction of Gregory Hoblit was executed with skill. The cinematography was well conceived, and the film was put together very well. As I said before, it’s a very entertaining film. It’s just a bit usual. If you’re paying close attention (like I usually do, for easter-egg purposes) you’re able to figure out the game-winning clue near the 30 minute marker, which results in somewhat of an anti-climatic film. Lucky for us, at no point does the film drag on, and even better, the hero doesn’t always win his battles.
It’s one of the best May releases. If you’re looking for some fun, some wit, some entertainment, this is the film to see. Quoting Venture Brothers: “It is a game of Cat and also Cat.” Check it out; I think you’ll be pleased at the experience, despite its similarities to so many films of its nature. Look closely for the homage to Silence of the Lambs, as there is a Moth pinned to the wall.
Ta-ta,
~ Math
7 of 10. (B)
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