Der Mandant

Eine gemütliche Unterhaltung mit Stars aus den 90ern, insbesondere mit McConaughey, der in der markantesten Rolle der Zeit erscheint (der Anwalt in Der Mandant). Schade, dass das Drehbuch manche Wenden und ihre Verbindung in dem sonst spannenden Plot vereinfacht und mild darstellt und dass es für den Film wichtiger ist, so cool wie möglich zu sein. Das schwächt das Ende des Films und seine Thriller-Charakteristik ein bisschen ab. Das ist auch der Grund, warum man ihn nicht als Drama bezeichnen kann und warum er nur eine "coole Unterhaltung“ ist. (11.08.2011)

A pleasant surprise and sheer pleasure from a smart film, and I'd say there have been few legal dramas of the same quality as this since Coppola's magnificent The Rainmaker. Matthew McConaughey has finally shed the jaded skin of the sunny boy on the surfboard, and after years (since his role in Schumacher's A Time to Kill) he has returned to what he does best: a passionate advocate who evokes ambivalent feelings – you want to kick him for his cockiness, but you're rooting for him at the same time. The clever script contains so many plot twists that they would be enough for three other films, and I nod my head in approval and highly recommend it. (31.05.2011)

I’ve been telling myself recently that it’s a shame that there haven’t been many good pure thrillers in the last few years. The Lincoln Lawyer fits this category perfectly, it’s very well made, with a smart story and several interesting twists, good performances – overall, a very nice dose of thriller tension. My only quibble is in the script, some of the events don’t move forward in a very clear way. Otherwise, it exceeded my expectations. (04.06.2011)

There are about as many quality lawyer movies as there are quality lawyers. But let's leave ethics aside. I've always passed by Michael Connelly’s books at the library, thinking it must be that sublime detective bore. This is perhaps the case, but this film parades through such a plethora of well-written, functional, and well-acted characters that I’m willing to forgive even the fancy points (if you've read a few books and seen a few films, it won't be anything special to you) and enjoy this great genre addition (how many years has it been, anyway?) without further lamentation. 4 ½. PS: I’m gonna take out that Connelly book, though. (07.08.2011)

Ever since I was a little kid, I lived with the belief that court cases are the sort of scenes that will never get fun for me. There were moments that pleasantly surprised me, but I never expected to be blown away by a movie based on court cases. And that’s mainly because it is about a lawyer. The lawyer is portrayed by Matthew McConaughey, who was probably born for this profession, because wherever he’s appeared as a lawyer, he’s always acted it out so well that I just kept nodding at a job well done. Matt’s simply good at that. And once you run into this sort of movie about everything that would convince you that this is a five-star experience right at first glance, it’s simply worth watching, because nothing is more surprising than a movie that you didn’t expect much of yet it ends up deserving those five stars. Not only for everything I already wrote about, but also for the gorgeous and natural atmosphere and especially the ending that created a movie closure more beautiful than anything I’ve seen in a long time. The Lincoln Lawyer has a great movie soul and I admit that I’d almost forgotten what that movie soul looks like. And here it is. (23.04.2014)

Who would ever have thought Matthew McConaughey could act so well. Without thinking twice, I rate the role of Mick Haller as his best. Ryan Phillippe was also an excellent choice with the first role that suits him in a long time. A quality script with a successful plot. 4.5 stars. After much thought, I'm leaning towards a higher rating because the film as a whole made a good impression on me. (11.12.2011)

The success of The Lincoln Lawyer largely lies in the casting of Matthew McConaughey in the lead role. Both in terms of his appearance and his character acting, he perfectly fits the image of a cunning and experienced lawyer who has equally good relationships in the justice system as well as in the underworld. The direction by Brad Furman is also worth mentioning, as he has shown here that when he wants to, he can make a film at a high level and with the use of modern film techniques. However, in my opinion, the script is quite average and it does not avoid clichés or improbable errors. Overall impression: 60%. (20.02.2013)

An excellent cast and quality screenplay which is well thought out and everything falls nicely into place. McConaughey suits the role of crafty ace lawyer nicely and Ryan Phillippe also puts on a good performance. Delicious legal eagling. (15.07.2011)

An unusually alert and sharp lawyer with an incredibly stylish and eloquent McConaughey. It terms of the script, it's rather average, but it impresses mainly with its details and excellent dialogues. It's not extremely daring or controversial, and partly because of that, it will likely fade from one's mind quickly, but the overall impression remains positive. Modernly filmed old school. (16.03.2012)

Ein vom Anfang bis zum Ende unglaublich spannender Film, bei dem man merkt, dass er im Kopf eines guten Schriftstellers und nicht in den Köpfen von mindestens drei Hollywood-Drehbuchautoren entstanden ist. Durchdacht, überraschend, interessant, ausgezeichnet. Matthew McConaughey stellt seinen nächsten Juristen (der tolle Film Amistad - Das Sklavenschiff, der miserable Film Die Jury) sehr überzeugend dar. Die anderen Schauspieler*innen sind perfekt. Dank der reichhaltigen Handlung und der schwungvollen Regie vergehen die zwei Stunden wie im Flug. (04.08.2012)

A quality script that is unreadable until the last moment, stylish direction by Furman that spits out one thrilling scene after another, and a slick McConaughey in his best role since the turn of the millennium. The result may not be as impressive as Schumacher's A Time to Kill, but it’s still one of the better legal thrillers, which Hollywood is unfortunately already full to bursting :-) A second screening is a must... 80% (17.02.2013)

Obwohl ich sehr gern lese, fast alle Genres und vor allem Thriller und Krimis nicht ausgenommen, hatte ich noch nicht die Ehre, die erfolgreichen Bücher von Michael Connelly kennenzulernen. Ich bin überzeugt, dass die Buchvorlage sicher umfangreicher ist trotzdem wurde der Film schwungvoll gedreht, der Plot wurde kunstvoll geschaffen, und man muss Castor einfach nur zustimmen - ihre Frisur stach mir auch ins Auge. (16.12.2011)

Michael Connelly is my favorite author. And that's ironically bad news for this film. I revisited it precisely because I finally got to the book it's based on, and the film didn't come out on top in this comparison. Let's start with the casting. While Matthew McConaughey was a good choice for the role of Michael Haller, Ryan Phillippe (although I have nothing against him) didn't fit at all as his adversary. I understand the screenwriter had to deviate from the source material (otherwise, it would have to be a series), but at the same time, the story lost its compactness, and a lot of things were rushed through, which didn't do justice to the logic of the plot. The film wasn't bad, but it just doesn't quite hold up to the book, so three stars will have to do. / Lesson learned: Want to be a priest or a lawyer? Learn to keep quiet. (08.05.2022)

Matthew McConaughey is currently not an actor I greatly admire, but lately it seems that he will have luck with roles that will show what he truly is. "The Lincoln Lawyer" is definitely one of those films that show us that he is not just one of those actors who are in movies to show off their muscles. Although it is true that he simply has them. "The Lincoln Lawyer" is an example of this person's ability to act. It is more or less a one-man show, although even Ryan Phillippe, in his classic pose as a rich guy who has a lot of money, does quite well. Perhaps it is because he doesn't have as much space. Matthew McConaughey, however, is believable as a tough lawyer, a person who secures the evidence he needs, but also as an ordinary person. Not to mention that as a strategist, his character is excellent. How would you answer this question: "What should I do when I know my client is a murderer?" Mick Haller answered it in his own way, and even though the courtroom trial is the most interesting part, which is well filmed and acted, the main action takes place outside the courtroom. I haven't experienced such an interesting combination of crime and legal drama in a long time, where the police are not in the lead, but the main character is the lawyer. As a whole, it left a good impression on me, although the ending is played out in a classical way, in the car, and perhaps it ends positively unnecessarily. However, I don't have much to criticize, the film is definitely above average, although not great, it is easily digestible despite its relatively long duration, and you also take away a good feeling that not every lawyer at Haller's level is a jerk. Although that is probably not true, it doesn't matter. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/08/warrior-x-ms-1-sibir-5x-rychle-zbesile.html (25.02.2013)