 "Photo: Courtesy Photo")
 "Photo: Courtesy Photo")
Murder mystery? Nope. Thriller? Not exactly. Courtroom drama? Not really. Comedy? Definitely not. So how do you classify this movie that masquerades as a genre film? Without calling "Fracture" a courtroom-mystery-thriller with comedic undertones, you don't.
In a role that seems oh so familiar, Sir Anthony Hopkins chills as Ted Crawford, an ultra clever and conceited aeronautical engineer who drives expensive European cars and lives in the Hollywood Hills. Leveraging his meticulous genius, Crawford plans and tries to execute the perfect murder. But what he doesn't foresee is a run in with Asst. DA Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling), a hotshot prosecutor determined to finish his last case with a win.
Beachum is set to leave LA's District Attorney office for a high paying, high profile job with a major law firm when he signs on to prosecute Ted Crawford in what should be his final slam-dunk case. Beachum however, quickly finds that Crawford has tipped the odds in his favor. The young lawyer then must decide what is more important, putting an evil-doer behind bars or pursuing his dream job.
This entertaining but somewhat clichéd tale ultimately becomes one of morality and ethics for Willy Beachum. Beachum is essentially at a crossroads in his life where he must decide if doing the right thing is worth it, even if it costs him his future.
While the plot twists and surprises in this film are heavily foreshadowed and therefore predictable, the story is still engaging and commands your attention throughout most of the film. On a line-by-line level, the script is well constructed and full of wit, playing to both Gosling's and Hopkins' strengths.
Gosling, riding the acclaim for his role in indie award darling "Half Nelson" (2006), is more than capable of winning an audience over as a leading man. Playing Beachum, Gosling pulls off a portrayal of a young lawyer with a complex personality. We see him as confident, funny, compassionate and vulnerable all within the span of 112 minutes.
Equally successful in his role, Sir Anthony Hopkins was no doubt type cast as the cool and collected evil genius. With a comparison to his most famous role as Hannibal Lecter being unfortunately inevitable, as it always will be when Hopkins plays the bad guy, Hopkins still manages to impress.
A half-hearted love interest side-story and Crawford's wife ending up on life support attempt to plug the holes in "Fracture's" plot only semi-successfully. But the greatest disappointment stems from a predictable conclusion that loses momentum quickly, which bumps the film down a few notches.
Overall "Fracture" will end up lost in the pile of mediocre dramas that feature great talent and stale stories, thus dooming it to the category of renter.
Nate's Grade: C+
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