ONE HARSH CRITIC: Fracture

Fracture: A Review

Thrillers are great. I admit that I'm a thriller guy. Therefore, I give thrillers a bit more leniency than I do films of other genres. But, even so, I liked Fracture.

Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) has just been given the opportunity to join a powerhouse corporate law firm. He's been festering in the Public Defender's office, and when he's invited to attend a black tie mixer with the corporate firm's elite, he knows it's his way out. But before he leaves, one easy slam-dunk case, complete with witnesses and a signed confession, falls on his desk.

Convinced of another win to pad his 97% conviction rate, Beachum takes the case to trial where he suddenly realizes that he's been set up. Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) shot his wife. He admits it. So why should this case be anything other than a plea bargain and an hour of Beachum's time?

The answer, while not entirely clear, seems to be that Crawford has killed his wife, and wants to get away with it. He doesn't want to look over his shoulder. He doesn't want to run from the law. The aeronautics mogul wants to use his head, find the cracks in the system, and beat it. When he finds Willy Beachum, the game becomes a challenge.

Hopkins is one of the great actors of our generation to be sure, but his Crawford smacks so heavily of Hannibal Lecter, its distracting. Mix the innocence of William Parrish (Meet Joe Black), and I think you've got Crawford pegged. Still the role calls for a calm, cool and collected psychopath, and Hopkins nails it.

Gosling is quickly becoming one of the great actors of the up and coming generation, and I've got no shame in saying that I love his work (excluding Murder by Numbers).  He's played a variety of roles, but seems to stand out  in one in particular -- the sexy, confidant young player who runs into a wall for the first time, and desperation abounds.

Rosamund Pike, while not mentioned in my short summary above, plays Beachum's team leader at the new law firm, and she is simply stunning. Pike, while in a supporting role, caught my eye in The Libertine, a film that's not for everyone, but really showcases her talent. Here, she seems to be just a pretty face, but what a pretty face indeed.

The problem with this film is the probability of coincidence. Crawford has a master plan. It's been thought out, and executed to perfection. All the I's dotted, and all the t's crossed. The problem is, it doesn't take the viewer long at all to realize that certain aspects of this plan couldn't have been planned ahead of time. Crawford couldn't have predicted some of the key elements to the plan that unravels on screen, and therefore, one must conclude that he's making it up as he goes. I doubt that's what the writers intended.

In all honesty, it's an entertaining film.  Its well acted, and the story line will fool most viewers. If you figure this one out before the credits roll, call Harvard immediately. But let's be honest, due to the probability of coincidence, if you do figure this one out, you're just guessing.

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Josh Gloer, Movie Correspondent

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