Primal Fear

Rating

Director

Gregory Hoblit

Screenplay

Steve Shagan, Ann Biderman (Novel: William Diehl)

Length

2h 9m

Starring

Richard Gere, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, Terry O’Quinn, Andre Braugher, Steven Bauer, Joe Spano, Tony Plana, Stanley Anderson, Maura Tierney, Jon Seda, Reg Rogers

MPAA Rating

R

Review

A presumably innocent man and a justice-seeking defense lawyer delve into a complex tangle of crime and murder in Primal Fear, a sometimes grating, sometimes invigorating courtroom drama mixed with investigative police procedural.

The story revolves around the brutal murder of a Catholic priest whose corrupt dealings with prominent political leaders put him in the middle of a turf war, exacerbated by his personal demons, which form the backbone of the plot with a young man accused of murder (Edward Norton) and the high powered attorney representing him (Richard Gere). As Gere struggles to uncover the culprit behind the crime while trying to get his client off the charges, he uncovers deeply disturbing issues and a secret buried within the psyche of a troubled teen.

It’s a wonder that Gere wasn’t nominated for his performance here, reminiscent of Paul Newman’s performance in The Verdict. This is one of his best. Gere’s long career notwithstanding, it was the auspicious debut of Edward Norton, who gave the kind of debut performance that comes around seldomly. Few actors could have nailed such a complex role, but Norton does, landing his first Oscar nomination, and parlaying his success into a so-far long, vibrant career of varied roles, many disturbed, some gentle, all pursuing the demons that brought such intrigue to this role.

The powerhouse cast is strong, though the film doesn’t seem to understand how to drop seemingly pointless plot threads that could have been trimmed entirely for a more sleek and breezy running time. While courtroom dramas have always entertained based on their attempt to get a likable or guiltless defendant free, there are new themes at work here that put into question whether innocence is a product of perception or of truth.

Gregory Hoblit’s experience as director and producer for a number of prominent 1980s police procedurals, including Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law, gave him a satisfying perspective on this film’s narrative even if he relied on that era’s musical cues long after they had faded from popular use. The film plays at most times like a special feature-length episode of one of his signature shows and that dynamic creates a frustrating pace for a film that feels like a loosely-arrayed conglomeration of scenes rather than a tight, comprehensive legal thriller. The entire fault cannot be laid at Hoblit’s feet as the screenplay by Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, based on a novel by William Diehl, feels unprepared to let go of narrative threads that might have been more richly explored on the page than on the big screen.

There are moments of inspiration in Primal Fear, ably supported by Norton and Gere, but in the end, it’s a film that we’ve seen far too often to feel like we’re getting our money’s worth in a movie theater or even with a movie rental.

Review Written

June 21, 2021