Fracture (2007)

	Directed by: Gregory Hoblit	COUNTRY USA/Germany GENRE Thriller NORWEGIAN TITLE Fracture RUNNING TIME 113 minutes
	Produced by: Charles Weinstock
	Written by: Daniel Pyne Glenn Gers

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Ted Crawford	Anthony Hopkins	½
DDA William Beachum	Ryan Gosling
DA Joe Lobruto	David Strathairn	½
Nikki Gardner	Rosamund Pike	½
Jennifer Crawford	Embeth Davidtz
Lt. Robert Nunally	Billy Burke	½
Detective Flores	Cliff Curtis
Judge Robinson	Fiona Shaw
Judge Gardner	Bob Gunton
Judge Moran	Xander Berkeley
Mona	Zoe Kazan

Review

Gregory Hoblit played delicately with the courtroom/psychological thriller sub-genre in his debut feature, Primal Fear, in 1996. With Fracture, he has in many ways come full circle. The two films share some notable strengths: the fine pacing, the ability to present rather intriguing juridical aspects without confusing or boring the viewer, and the playful psychology involved. While one can argue that both films are implausible, Fracture is the least successful at hiding it. This is a staged, though well-staged film, in which Anthony Hopkins blends a little Hannibalism with a little Andrew Wyke and seems to enjoy the process, without giving it too much effort. His adversary is hot-shot lawyer Ryan Gosling, who's about to move from the prosecutor's office to the corporate sector to chase the big money. The duo end up wrestling for the truth as the prosecution struggles to prove Hopkins' seemingly apparent guilt after his cheating wife is murdered.

Fracture has plenty of potential in the duelling between Hopkins and Gosling. Their first encounter in a prison booth is delightful, but Hoblit doesn't quite manage to develop this relationship like he did with Martin Vail and Aaron Stampler in Primal Fear. Instead, he becomes a little too preoccupied with trying to justify the inadequacies in the plot and a completely unnecessary (and annoyingly mandatory) romantic sub-plot. That doesn't mean that the film doesn't remain interesting and enjoyable throughout. Fracture may not offer much novelty, but it replicates a once-beloved formula quite adequately. And of course, a couple of fascinating actors help. There always seems to be something going on behind the eyes of Anthony Hopkins, and he almost even makes his Ted Crawford here believable.