| Review: Director Gregory Hoblit
presents us with not a “Who done it?” but rather a “How
did he pull it off?” drama. In this compelling tale of murder,
Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins), murders his cheating wife, Jennifer,
in cold blood, early in the film. Then with the precision that only
an engineer can muster, he proceeds to pull off the crime like a well-worn
T-shirt. With ease, he opts to act as his own attorney and presents
his defense like a master. And in the courtroom, his adversary, young,
ambitious Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling), seems outdone by the wily,
calculating defendant, Mr. Crawford.
Anthony Hopkins is perfect as the cool, collected murderer who
took care of his domestic problem with precision. Ryan Gosling takes
the role of an ambitious young public prosecutor who accepts, and
is up to, the challenge of a master criminal. The gesturing and
silent innuendo between the principals is a show in itself, and
adds depth to their adversarial stand-off.
If you are looking for a “weak spot” in this film,
chances are you won’t find one. It’s cat-and-mouse at
its best!
by Mary Morgan is a member of
the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association. |
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2007
Movie Reviews
