‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Review: The Reluctant Lawyer Makes For A Solid, Watchable Show
In 2011, Matthew McConaughey starred in The Lincoln Lawyer, a quite solid, and some even could say an excellent thriller where he played the role of Mickey Haller. A lawyer that works from inside a Lincoln Town Car instead of a conventional office. The unconventional lawyer goes to work right on the street, right where the people are, and develops a reputation among the citizens of Los Angeles.
The role and the movie gave McConaughey the jump start he needed to start his renaissance as an actor, a period that would culminate with him receiving the Oscar for Best Actor for his work in Dallas Buyers Club. McConaughey made the role the turn around he needed after being typecast in romantic comedies for more than a decade. Now, Netflix is ready to bring the Lincoln Lawyer around and try to transform it into a franchise for the streaming service.
The Lincoln Lawyer is being developed by David E. Kelly, the famous TV producer who brought several successful shows to the screen, Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal, Big Little Lies, and many more bear his signature as a creator. The Lincoln Lawyer is no exception, the show feels right between gritty, armless, and quite fun. It is like watching a very solid television series made for broadcast TV. They don’t do them like that anymore, but here we are in front of one.
The stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, in the role of Mickey Heller, the titular Lincoln Lawyer, alongside him, we can meet other actors such as Neve Campbell, Becki Newton, Jazz Raycole, Angus Sampson, and Christopher Gorham. The season is based on the novel Michael Connelly titled The Brass Verdict. In it, Heller finds out that one of his colleagues, Jerry, has been murdered and all his cased have been transferred to him. One of those cases is a high profile murder case that might hide more than meets the eye.
The Lincoln Lawyer has all the elements of a great legal show. It has a case that extends itself throughout the whole season, which makes it feel important. It also has some tangential cases here and there that make the universe of the show feel expansive, as if there is always something going on in the background. Not only that, but it also has humor, great characters and an ending that feels satisfying.
Along with the release of Reacher. This new trend of adapting novels in the shape of a complete season of television instead of just a movie, feels like the correct form in which these stories should be adapted to the screen. The TV season has enough time and space to develop the character, pull all the pieces of the puzzle together and come up with something that feels complete, and substantial.
The plot moves along at a very good pace, there is always something happening on screen, and the characters feel alive, with tons of energy. This execution really makes for engaging television. It is possible that the show becomes one of the best binge-watches of the month thanks to the excellent cliffhangers and the central mystery which is actually interesting.
The plot and the universe of the show would not work without a good set of characters, and this is exactly what we have here. Heller is the perfect rebel, working inside the system to changing to his will. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it feels like it was not only a win for Heller as a character, a lawyer, but also a win for the audience. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo’s tenure as Heller is excellent. The actor has enough brag to be considered cool, but also he is vulnerable enough so that the audiences can feel comfortable with him.
The rest of the cast is also equally charming. Neve Campbell, plays the role of Maggie, Mickey’s first wife. The presence of the actress is welcomed. She doesn’t really appear that much throughout the season, but having her around feels correct. Becki Newton as Nora brings quite a bit of energy, and she steals every scene she is in. Raycole also comes off as an amazing newcomer, in the role of Izzy, Heller’s new chauffeur.
The whole set of characters that make for Heller’s investigation team, really feel like some sort of Suicide Squad. They are a bunch of rascals, misfits that have come together with the intention of passing a good time and helping those in need. Their camaraderie feels real, and it makes for some of the best moments in the show.
Visually, the show feels very bland at some points, only the fantastic landscape of Los Angeles serves to give the show any sense of visual identity. Without the city, the show would feel like it was done by anyone, or that it takes place in any place on the Earth. Yes, this is the one aspect of the show that feels very lazy, but it does the thing done when it comes to tell the story the show needs to tell.
The Lincoln Lawyer is a very solid show, only the look of a broadcast TV show seems to hold it back in quality, a more gritty and serious look would help the show feel unique. As it is, The Lincoln Lawyer has a very good mystery, an excellent set of characters, and a pacing that will catch people’s attention until the show’s mystery is over.
