“Law Abiding Citizen” review
At The 13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival, I saw “Law Abiding Citizen“, directed by F. Gary Gray.
Director F. Gary Gray didn’t really knock me out with “The Negotiator“. Sure, it’s good. But I felt like he was filming theater. You put Kevin Spacey and Sam Jackson in a room and have them read that script, it’s gonna be good. F. Gary Gray is brilliant at his use of music and editing. After all, he’s a prolific music video director. He didn’t hit me until he’d done “The Italian Job“. That’s when I started to see the director get smarter with shot selection, AND editing. I thought I had seen the best he had to offer with “Italian Job”.
I was completely wrong.
“Law Abiding Citizen” is told from the perspective of two men: Clyde Shelton, played by Gerard Butler, and attorney Nick Rice, played by Jamie Foxx. Two men enter Clyde’s home and brutally kill his family. (there’s a lot of brutal violence in this film.) Nick Rice makes a deal that lets one of the men go free, while the other goes on death row.
Clyde…does not take this well. For ten years, he appears to stay off the radar. Nobody’s heard from him, and everyone has gone on with their lives. The time comes for the man on death row’s execution. There is a mysterious mishap. Afterwards, Nick begins an investigation that reveals — those men weren’t the only ones who chose the wrong man to mess with.
We discover that Clyde Shelton was not your ordinary mild-mannered tinkerer. He is, shall we say, a master of disaster, and proceeds to exact his revenge on not just the men who hurt him, but the entire justice system of Philadelphia. It comes down to being a battle of wits and wills between Clyde and Nick, and it leaves you guessing until the last scene how it’s going to turn out.
The casting of this movie was excellent. Viola Davis as the mayor is brilliant, even through some really interesting ( to put it politely) costume choices. She is clearly in command, and quite believable as mayor. I’ll repeat it here. Somebody give her a movie. She’s a commanding presence. Regina Hall’s performance as Jamie’s wife was great to watch. Bruce McGill is more than a co-star in this film. It feels like this role was written for Tommy Lee Jones, but Bruce really makes it his own.
Colm Meany – who you’ll either know recently from films like “Con Air” or TV shows like “Star Trek: TNG” or “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” – was one of the best casting choices of this film. He is great in the scenes with Jamie, and I’m really hoping to see the two work together again.
Jamie Foxx hasn’t taken center stage and controlled a movie as a star like this since “Ray“. In a lot of what he’s done since “Ali“, you get Jamie Foxx calling himself some other character’s name, but you see Jamie Foxx. Few directors have given him the opportunity to really get into the role. This movie allows Jamie to become Nick, and he does so from frame one. If you’re a fan, you’ll love him. If you’ve been wondering what the big deal is…this is worth watching.
Gerard Butler channels a lot of Mel Gibson in this picture. But it works.
If asked to compare this film to anything else F. Gary Gray has done — I can’t. As Jamie has said about him, he doesn’t do “Gary Gray movies”. He has created a body of work where each film stands on its own.
This film stands alone as one of his best.
If you’re a Law & Order junkie, this movie is made for you. I’m not, and I really enjoyed this movie.
DO see this film. It’s in theaters October 16.
- DM Lockhart
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agree that the movie was great. casting was great. and gary gray's directing is amazing. also, that is regina hall as jamie's wife, not lela rochon.
Thanks for the correction re: Regina!
I'm reading and writing from Italy, so please be patient with my English…
I'm glad to hear that the movie's good, and I'm really looking forward to it.
I notice that you spent lots of words about the cast except Butler. How did he perform? Saying that "he channels a lot of Mel Gibson in this picture" is not a great hint about his acting. Do you mean a "good" Mel Gibson or a "bad" Mel Gibson?
It's a "good" Mel Gibson form "Ransom". not entirely sold that Butler was the best choice for this role. He was good, but I wonder actually if this might have been a gig for Kevin Spacey. I like Butler, really, and it worked, just saying.
Thanks for the further explanation. I don't think that Spacey would have landed the role. Butler's producing and of course he wished to keep one of the main roles to himself… ;o) What about Gary Oldman for Clyde's role?
Thanks again for your attention and reply.
Wow, Gary Oldman, that would have been awesome. Yes.
I was very interested in what you said about Jamie Foxxs's performance.I agree that since "Ali" we got him calling himself some other character's name,but we still saw him.I'm glad to see him have the opportunity to play something "straight" like a plain ordinary DA,with material that he could sink his teeth into.That's why I'm glad that him and Butler switch roles.It seems like he gives a real good nuanced performance in this one.
You are so right about Viola Davis in this movie. I felt empowered by her character. Did not like the ending of the movie, it was too Hollywood feel-good to a plot that I felt was otherwise dark and clever. While watching this movie, I could feel Gerard Butler's pain and I felt like no matter what he did-his character would never be satisfied.
Favorite scene-the judge and the cell phone. It turned a light, bright scene into a shocker.
For some reason, the audience in this movie laughed a lot. I did too, I don't know if it's because we have come to know and love Jamie Foxx as a comedian. Did any other audience goer have the same reaction?