"Fracture," the newest film by Gregory Hoblit, is a twisted, creepy and beautifully composed film.
Starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling, the film follows the story of Willy Beachum (Gosling), an ambitious and talented prosecutor who, before leaving his state job for a new one at an elite law firm, takes on the case of Ted Crawford (Hopkins) who confessed to shooting his wife in cold blood.
But things are not as simple as they seem when Crawford demonstrates the cracks in the state's case that threaten to destroy the whole thing and leave Crawford a free man. Thus begins a meticulously crafted game of cat and mouse that is enthralling right through its impressive conclusion
"Fracture" is composed of a cast that provides strong performances, most notably Embeth Davidtz, (Matilda) Crawford's wife, and David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck), Beachum's old boss. But these characters are relatively minor, and provide a strong base for the captivating performances by Gosling and Hopkins.
Gosling's portrayal of a cocky lawyer is never overwrought or unbelievable and has a subtlety to it that makes him likeable. The audience can see the humanity in him not only when he experiences failure, as conventionally happens with arrogant lead characters, but also during the moments when he is least vulnerable, such as when he is in court or ordering the police around.
The romantic connection between him and his new boss Nikki Gardner (Rosamund Pike, Pride and Prejudice), however, is underdeveloped. This was not necessarily a bad thing, as the chemistry between them was not anywhere near as compelling as the chemistry between Beachum and Crawford. Their relationship is the focus of the movie.
As strong as Gosling's performance was, it is eclipsed by that of Hopkins'. His portrayal of the cold, calculating and frighteningly intelligent Crawford is one that steals the show. With Hopkins playing intelligent serial killers there is always the worry that he will simply slip back into the role of Hannibal Lecter, but he is able to separate himself from this character in "Fracture."
For most of the movie he simply creeps everyone out. (He tells his wife that he often stares at her when she sleeps, to which she responds, "That's creepy." Indeed.) Despite this he has some remarkably funny one-liners that surprise the audience into giving him credit as a witty homicidal sociopath.
The one curious thing about Hopkins' performance, however, was his wandering accent. For most of the movie he does an unremarkable American accent, but sometimes he slips into a strange Irish lilt, which occasionally borders on British, and sometimes just becomes an unrecognizable hodgepodge of sounds that ultimately add to the humor of his character, though most likely not in the way he intended.
What makes "Fracture" a truly arresting film, however, is the way in which it is shot. The diverse play of light and shadow, the interesting camera angles and the precisely crafted composition of each scene combine to create a subtle yet beautiful work of art.
On the whole, "Fracture" is a captivating and powerful film. It never relies on gore or sex to manipulate the audience. Instead, it lets its intelligence speak for itself. Ultimately, it is worth the $10.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
