Showing all 76 external reviews. PRIMAL FEAR depicts a Chicago defense attorney, played by Richard Gere, who is not concerned with the guilt or innocence of his defendant, but only with his own reputation. Gere is given several quiet scenes, including a half-drunken conversation with a journalist, to develop the complexities of his character. He's a hard-drinking, ego-driven man who recently broke up with a young assistant DA named Janet Venable (Laura Linney), who is now, inevitably, his opponent on the case. He has received many death threats. Best romantic comedy I've seen in years. TITLE: Primal Fear (1996) • R • 2:10:28 Richard Gere, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Alfre Woodard, Maura Tierney, Andre Braugher, Steven Bauer Gregory Hoblit (Director) The movie that made Edward Norton a star (well, made him … Primal Fear (1996) External Reviews. Richard Gere is in top form as a … And Martin Vail seems to be at the center of all of these events. The thought of an unknown, outright lying to get a part, and getting away with it, that puts me in awe. "Primal Fear" is rated R for violence, gore, sex, nudity, profanity and vulgarity. Primal Fear. Primal Fear would do well to realize what it’s got, and unfortunately that’s not much better. To Coda or Not to Coda: On the New Version of The Godfather Part III, A Seat at the Table: The State of International Horror in 2020, Nomadland Wins Big for Chicago Film Critics Association, It’s Like a Magic Trick: Pete Docter and Dana Murray on Pixar's Soul, The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. He attends a benefit. Primal Fear may very well put the fear of something in you. The defendant is shy, naive, stammering Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), an altar boy who was found running from the scene after the archbishop of Chicago was brutally murdered. They are about how the characters feel about what happened. But even the talk becomes campy, as when a deputy district attorney (Terry O'Quinn) tells Vail, "You're worse than the (expletive) thugs you represent!". Those questions aren't for high-powered Chicago attorney Martin Vail (Gere) to decide. Film. For Brief Grisly Violence, Pervasive Strong Language and A Sex Scene. Because he knows the case will be the most sensational of the year, and he wants to be where the action is. In the field of behavioral ethics, it’s called ‘ethical fading,’ and describes how people deceive themselves to hide the wrongness of their choices. The best crime movies and novels are not about who did it, or why. Richard Gere's film choices could use more quality control, but at times, as in “Days of Heaven,” “American Gigolo,” “Pretty Woman,” “Internal Affairs,” “Miles From Home” and “Mr. Movie Reviews Trailers Film Festivals ... Richard Gere’s hairstyling provides the most immediate distraction in Primal Fear. Edward Norton could not have picked a better film in which to debut. Gere is the flamboyant win at all costs, anything to get client off who meets his match in the Edward Norton character. Jun 10, 2016. ... first-time director Hoblitt seems at ease in this two-act movie. If a filmmaker had approached it with a sly, coy touch or a sharper sense of rhythm, it could have been wildly entertaining. A Hispanic alderman, who defends the building of a clinic on land intended to be “upscaled,” gets into hot water. In addition, the central murder mystery revolves around a gruesome, ludicrous Catholic-bashing series of events. Taking a case involving the murder of an Archbishop, he discovers that some people can effectively wear two faces. “Primal Fear” is a rather conventional courtroom drama and mystery thriller that is greatly elevated by the strong performance of Richard Gere, the even stronger show-stealing debut performance of Edward Norton, and the well-executed and impactful ending. May 24, 2018. An atmosphere of menace is created without a single word or shot you can put your finger on. There is more than meets the eye. Watch Primal Fear movie trailer and get the latest cast info, photos, movie review and more on TVGuide.com. Alright, I admit it. Great plot twist at the end. Playing a cocky, arrogant "windy-city" attorney isn't much of a stretch for Richard Gere, and he's really in his element as Martin Vail, whose ego is bigger than the Chicago River. Primal Fear tries to answer the first two questions. “Primal Fear” contains some of his best work. This review is from Primal Fear [Hard Evidence Edition] [Blu-ray] [1996] I would recommend this to a friend. But the script for "Primal Fear" doesn't help him much, as it's loaded with ridiculous plot twists (that I won't give away), which escalate the film's level of silliness until it ultimately self-destructs. Rated R Film Primal Fear Review: Twist Mengejutkan Dari Rumitnya Kasus Pembunuhan Uskup. Once it was cops who solved crimes. Innocent? With Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, John Mahoney. Chiefly of interest to Nicolas Cage completists and hardcore B-movie fans, this action thriller suffers from an unfortunate lack of Primal energy. Sign up for the If you find the disc on sale it's worth adding to your collection. Audience Reviews for Primal Fear. Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage Primal Fear - Rolling Stone If you're in the mood for a tense, chilling mystery, by all means pass on Primal Fear. Start your day with the top stories you missed while you were sleeping. They are about how the characters feel about what happened. Primal Fear ... Richard Gere has a tailor-made role in "Primal Fear," which casts him as a … There is a lot more to it than that, although I will not reveal the details. Edward Norton, as the “Butcher Boy,” creates a character that is, as you will see, completely convincing in more ways than one. Review this Movie. He's more concerned with publicity than defending clients in trouble. 7 times public officials had double standards on COVID-19. The portrayal of dissociative identity disorder in Primal Fear is mostly accurate, but feeds into the stigma of mental illness. And it's obvious why he got the part. “Primal Fear,” based on a novel by William Diehl, stars Richard Gere as a flamboyant Chicago defense attorney who chases defendants instead of ambulances and volunteers his services when a teenager from Kentucky is charged with murdering an archbishop. Why? In playing him, Gere creates one of the best performances of his career, nuanced and smart, although the conventions of the thriller genre distract from how good it really is. newsletter, ‘I respect everybody’s faith’: Fardaws Aimaq’s journey to Utah County, ‘Christmas I Remember Best’: Pop’s and Santa’s gifts of love, As seniors isolate due to pandemic, family key to keeping scammers away during holidays, Search continues for gunman who shot 3, killing man at Salt Lake motel, Utah professor says former Trump campaign aide should be deemed a victim in case against ex-FBI lawyer, Researchers just discovered a ‘swamp king’ crocodile in Australia, Utah Jazz blow out Portland Trail Blazers in season opener, Utah State blows out San Jose State again to complete series sweep, BYU holds on for 87-79 victory over Weber State to record its fifth in-state victory of season, Light amid the darkness: Faith leaders offer their Christmas messages, 10 classic Christmas TV episodes from ‘The Office’ and more. Jones,” he shows what an interesting actor he can be. In addition, the central murder mystery revolves around a gruesome, ludicrous Catholic-bashing series of … But the script for "Primal Fear" doesn't help him much, as it's loaded with ridiculous plot twists (that I won't give away), which escalate the film's level of silliness until it ultimately self-destructs. I watched Primal Fear because of Edward Norton. ... "inspired" by the plot of this movie and copied a lot of it elements but none could execute it as brilliantly as Primal Fear did. Laura Linney makes more of her fairly standard character than we might expect. Then private eyes. Martin Vail adalah pengacara yang bisa melakukan segala cara agar kliennya bebas dari masalah hukum. But it's a shame to see a movie populated by the likes of Alfre Woodard, Fran-ces McDormand and John Mahoney, and then see that they have nothing to do. 'Primal Fear" is a riveting film, out on video this week, that blends suspense with emotion-charged courtroom drama. The performances are all good, especially newcomer Norton, who is quite charming in the film's first half and is later required to evolve in another direction. But the character of Martin Vail is so well done that it could have supported a smaller, more plausible movie. And the supporting performances--from John Mahoney as the hard-bitten DA and McDormand as the psychologist, to Alfre Woodard, who plays the judge and presides over a key scene in chambers--are strong and convincing. Is it possible that young Aaron is a fall-guy for a much larger, more sinister plot? An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and the truth is buried several layers deep. Spencer M Super Reviewer. It doesn't care much about the third, and that's one of its problems. As the movie opens, Martin Vail is seen moving smoothly through the centers of power in Chicago. Primal has all the elements for a cool movie: various exotic animals, a clever killer, a scoundrel-like antihero, and an appealing leading lady, all trapped together in a perfect, enclosed setting. Meanwhile, the prosecutor is a woman (Laura Linney) with whom Vail once had a relationship, and for some reason, neither side seems to care much about legal protocol or rules of evidence as they pull all kinds of surprises on each other during the trial. He knows everybody's name. There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. Richard Gere does it again. A psychologist named Molly Arrington (Frances McDormand) examines him for the court and thinks the question has no simple answer, because the kid, under intense pressure, suggests there was another person in the room. In the Grisham era, it has been lawyers. This movie isn't very good. They behave toward him in a way that signifies his importance. The defense attorney is named Martin Vail. It doesn't care much about the third, and that's one of its problems. Directed by Gregory Hoblit. The quip-laden dialogue seems clever in some early scenes, especially when Vail is being interviewed for a magazine profile and asks the writer for an assurance that it's going to be a cover story. Primal Fear, directed by Gregory Hoblit, written by Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman is based on the book by William Diehl. So, when he takes on a sen-sa-tion-al case that is guaranteed to give him more front-page headlines, he concentrates on his image first, his defendant second. Posted by emilyeagleton on March 15, 2017 March 15, 2017. FILM REVIEW;A Murdered Archbishop, Lawyers In Armani. The movie's director, Gregory Hoblit, is able to take a church benefit with a boy's choir performing and somehow fill it with sinister undertones. Let's face the facts. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. The screenplay for “Primal Fear,” by Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, knows that and uses the labyrinthine plot details as backdrop to issues of the identity. Aaron Stampler is arrested for murdering the archbishop. And worse, it treats audience members like idiots. It could be weirdest movie this side of American Beauty. Time Out says. Primal Critics Consensus. And maybe because he thinks the kid might be innocent, although the movie's literate, pointed dialogue makes it clear that guilt isn't an issue with this lawyer: Every defendant deserves a competent defense, he believes (and defendants in sensational, highly publicized cases deserve a defense from him). And his relationship with some of the members of the boys' choir was not strictly pastoral. Primal Fear was a box office success and earned generally positive reviews, with Norton making a strong showing in his film debut. Because this movie has a commercial destiny, of course the crime is sensational and the revelations are startling. Latter-day Saint author Hank Smith, his mother Cyndi Smith and his sister Jennefer Johnson all recovered from COVID-19, while Sean Smith, 54, did not. That said, one such movie that still stands as a classic in which a plot twist gets done right is Primal Fear. The archbishop is murdered in a grisly scene, and the suspect, Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), is captured a short time later, after a foot chase with police that is telecast live. Copyright © 2020 Deseret News Publishing Company. Not a movie for kids as it does have scenes of violence, a little nudity, and profanity. The archbishop, we learn, was involved in land deals that created a lot of unhappiness among powerful Chicagoans who lost millions of dollars. rogerebert.com [Roger Ebert] ReelViews [James Berardinelli] BBCi - Films (DVD review) ... At-A-Glance Film Reviews; BasementRejects.com [JPRoscoe] Beatdown Magazine; Big Picture Big Sound - Blu-ray Review … But there's something else going on. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture . The plot is as good as crime procedurals get, but the movie is really better than its plot because of the three-dimensional characters. Richard Gere is tasked with defending an alter boy accused of murdering a beloved Chicago priest. He's covered with the archbishop's blood, and the headlines call him “The Butcher Boy of St. Mike's.” But did he commit the crime? In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Please do not use ALL CAPS. Primal Fear A densely plotted, very talky murder case drama with some well-placed twists, "Primal Fear" resembles a high-end telefilm. Primal Fear 1996 ★★★★½ Rewatched Jul 22 , 2020 dap’s review published on Letterboxd: Vail is a pop-star attorney, one whose fame has eclipsed his work. The best crime movies and novels are not about who did it, or why. The story develops against a backdrop of Chicago politics and corruption. Primal Fear movie reviews & Metacritic score: Guilty? All Rights Reserved, Latter-day Saint author, teacher Hank Smith loses his brother to COVID-19. Primal Fear Review. Director Gregory Hoblit, a TV veteran of shows like "Hill Street Blues," "L.A. Law" and "NYPD Blue," handles the material in a straight-forward manner, but the script, by veteran screenwriter Steve Shagan (whose work ranges from the Oscar-nominated "Voyage of the Damned" to the vampire-bat exploitation flick "Night-wing") and Ann Biderman ("Copycat") is replete with problems. My movie review for a courtroom thriller about a lawyer who discovers something about his client's personality, that might work to his advantage in court. Primal Fear is one of the few examples of a psychological thriller with young, new talent shinning in a film with a great script and excellent direction. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box.