Fracture

Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) is an up and coming attorney @ law. He works on crucial cases at the District Attorney (DA) office and has a 100% track record – especially at the tough ones. Little does he know what is going to hit him over the next few weeks – A 50+ year old problem called Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins)


Mr. Crawford is a successful engineer who has smelt a fish about his young, extremely attractive wife, Jennifer (Embeth Davidtz). Most of us would have probably felt this gut wrenching experience, doubled up and died. But not Ted. Ted needs to ensure that his deepest darkest fears are confirmed or not (hopefully). He leaves work early one day and drops into an inconspicuous little motel in outskirts of the city to find Mr & Mrs. Smith (Jennifer) having a romp in the pool.


His fears being confirmed, Ted returns home and waits for Jennifer to get back home. A few hours later and few cold blooded dialogues later (no one else can be that cold blooded on screen than Hopkins) and shoots her in the face.


Now Mr. Smith goes by the actual name of Detective Robert “Rob” Nunally (Billy Burke) who, as bad luck would have it, lands up being the lead detective on the case. It would seem that he doesn’t have much on his hands coz Ted confesses to the crime @ the scene and is promptly put behind bars, pending trial.


Willy, in the meantime has landed up a great job in a leading law firm thanks to the recommendation of Nikki Gardner (Rosamund Pike). However, before he leaves for good, he has one small case to take care of – that of disposing off a deranged man who has killed is wife and has confessed to it as well. Piece of Cake right….. Not as much.


Mr. Crawford, true to his profession in a manner of speaking, seems to have engineered his wife’s killing and is not about to give up without a fight. He does just enough to ensure that the young Willy Beachum is enticed enough to take up the case against him who Ted decides to defend himself. What follows is a brilliantly crafted murder mystery which holds you to the screen for the next 60+ mins. Like a good 10 round World Boxing Championship match where one is a super experienced crafty fighter and the other who has raw energy and strength on his side.


Gregory Hoblit (Director – Fallen, Hart’s War, Frequency and also NYPD blue) sure had his work cut out for him when he signed on Hopkins for the role of Ted Crawford. But I have this feeling that it was not too challenging. Just run through the role with Hopkins and he delivers yet another one of his masterpieces – but then with Hopkins, every one is a masterpiece to say the least.


Ryan Gosling is good in his performance of the young, raring to go attorney who has not learnt to give up. The rest of the cast really doesn’t have much of a presence but kinda do what was expected.


Like Hoblit’s previous attempts, this one centres around just a couple of characters backed by a really really strong story line.


Playing on one of the movie channels (cant remember which one) in June / July. Worth a dekko. I give it 6 on 10.