The Lincoln Lawyer

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The Lincoln Lawyer

R

Released Mar 18, 2011

1h 59m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

173 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is a charismatic defense attorney who does business out of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Mick spends most of his time defending petty crooks and other bottom-feeders, so it comes as quite a surprise when he lands the case of a lifetime: defending a Beverly Hills playboy (Ryan Phillippe) who is accused of attempted murder. However, what Mick initially thinks is an open-and-shut case with a big monetary reward develops into something more sinister.

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Critics Consensus

It doesn't offer any twists on the predictable courtroom thriller formula, but with a charming Matthew McConaughey leading its solid cast, The Lincoln Lawyer offers briskly enjoyable entertainment.

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Scott Foundas

Film Comment Magazine

A much better version of this movie may exist somewhere in the editing-room blender, to be excavated by cine-archeologists of the future.

Jun 20, 2013

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B

Feb 18, 2012

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James White

Empire Magazine

A solid thriller with McConaughey doing what he does best.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 3, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Viewers hoping for anything more than your run-of-the-mill courtroom thriller will feel letdown, whereas general audiences will surely eat this stuff up.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 31, 2023

Full Review

Toussaint Egan

Polygon

The Lincoln Lawyer marks the beginning of what many at the time characterized as the 'McConaissance'.

Oct 22, 2021

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

The ultra-confidence swagger for which McConaughey is so well known works well here.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 14, 2020

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Rod B

In some ways predictable but not always. Very entertaining for an evening.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/23/25

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Aaron P

The camera work in this movie is Shakey and makes me want to throw up due to motion sickness. The story is confusing at the start, had I not watched the remade tv series I'd have 0 understanding 45 mins into the movie. Nothing seems really make sense to drive this home.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

04/20/25

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Evan M

The Lincoln Lawyer stands out from typical courtroom thrillers with a smart, interwoven plot and a stellar performance from Matthew McCounaghey. The delivery is so satisfying

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/20/25

Full Review

Scott M

Terribly written script from an episode straight out of 70's television. The cliches are everywhere. So embarrassingly bad. I love Matthew McConaughey and Marisa Tomei in anything though.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/09/25

Full Review

David F

A great film about Los Angeles and a lawyer who takes on an assault case involving a wealthy young man that turns out not to be what it seems at first glance. Part legal thriller, part crime thriller, it’s a well-made adaptation of a Michael Connelly novel demonstrating that to a lawyer, there is nothing as scary as a completely innocent client.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/25

Full Review

Drew B

A perfect lead in Matthew McConaughey. Ryan Phillippe is also a perfect counterpart for him. The plot is simple but effective. Very good movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

Full Review

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Brad Furman

Director

Matthew McConaughey

Mick Haller

Marisa Tomei

Maggie McPherson

Ryan Phillippe

Louis Roulet

Josh Lucas

Ted Minton

William H. Macy

Frank Levin

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - When Do You Retire?

1:55

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - I'm Trying to Make it Right!

3:01

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - Attorney-Client Privilege

2:38

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - Cross-Examination

2:15

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - It's Called the Justice System

1:43

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - They Want the Death Penalty

2:06

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - Whose Side are You on Anyway?

2:07

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - Can You Give Me a Lift?

2:20

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - This Whole Thing is a Set-Up

1:33

The Lincoln Lawyer: Official Clip - Hospital, Not the Morgue

2:30

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The Lincoln Lawyer: Trailer 2

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The Lincoln Lawyer: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is a charismatic defense attorney who does business out of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Mick spends most of his time defending petty crooks and other bottom-feeders, so it comes as quite a surprise when he lands the case of a lifetime: defending a Beverly Hills playboy (Ryan Phillippe) who is accused of attempted murder. However, what Mick initially thinks is an open-and-shut case with a big monetary reward develops into something more sinister.

Director: Brad Furman
Producer: Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Sidney Kimmel, Richard S. Wright, Scott Steindorff
Screenwriter: John Romano
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Stone Village Productions
Rating: R (Sexual Content|Language|Some Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 18, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 19, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $58.0M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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