The Lincoln Lawyer Review

After a few dull rom-coms and the self-indulgent Surfer, Dude, Matthew McConaughey washes up in a film that suits his easygoing charm. Based on the book by Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer finds him as Mick Haller, a smooth talkin’ shyster-with-a-heart who takes meetings with clients from his car. Director Furman smartly knows when to change gears, however, and Haller’s latest case, defending the privileged Louis Roulet (Phillippe) is a thorny chunk of criminal business. Such is the mesh between man and role that McConaughey easily slips from smarmy to something deeper and darker when his dysfunctional family (including Tomei as the prosecutor ex-wife he still hooks up with) is threatened. It’s all part of a solid little thriller, which, if there’s any justice, will lead to more cases for Haller.