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I like movies about smart guys who are wise asses, and think their way out of tangles with criminals. I like courtroom scenes. I like big old cars. I like “The Lincoln Lawyer” because it involves all three, and because it matches Matthew McConaughey with a first-rate supporting cast, while so many thrillers these days are about a lone hero surrounded by special effects. People have words they actually say in this movie. After “ Battle: Los Angeles ,” that is a great relief.

Let's start with the big old car. It's a Lincoln, and a lawyer named Mick Haller (McConaughey) does most of his work out of the back seat. Apparently he drove it himself until he was socked with a DUI; given how much he drinks in the film, it's amazing he remembered where he parked it. Now he has a chauffeur ( Laurence Mason ) who ferries him around to the Los Angeles dealers, hookers, bagmen and low-lifes who are his clientele. Mick's specialty is getting people off, sometimes in a perfectly legal way.

There were decades in the movies when heroes drove new cars, unless it was a period picture. Car makers used to pay for product placement. We saw Mustangs, GTOs, Chargers. But in recent years, action and thriller heroes have driven mostly classic cars, or oddballs like Hummers. The reason for this is obvious: Modern cars all look mostly the same, and none of them look heroic. Can you imagine James Bond in a Camry? My Ford Fusion gets good mileage, but Mick Haller would just look silly doing business out of the back seat. The only new cars still popular in movies are big black SUVs with tinted windows, which usually prowl in packs.

Anyway, Haller is a street-wise defense attorney with connections who knows how to collect and invest prudent envelopes full of cash. So connected is this guy that a motorcycle gang materializes more or less when he needs one. One day a bondsman ( John Leguizamo ) comes to him with a higher-class client than usual. Louis Roulet ( Ryan Phillippe ) is a rich kid from Beverly Hills accused of beating up a woman. He's clean-cut, looks Mick in the eyes, seriously insists he is innocent and wants a trial to prove it.

Mick senses there is something fishy. So do I. If Roulet has unlimited funds and really is innocent, why is he hiring a guy who works out of the back seat of a car? I've seen a lot of crime movies and read my Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald. I know, even if Mick doesn't, that he's being used in some way.

Let's not get into the details. Details are interchangeable in movies like this. What you want is a laconic wise guy in the lead, and McConaughey does a nice line in those. You need a good dame in the picture. Marisa Tomei plays his ex-wife, courtroom opponent and (still) friend. When Tomei walks into a movie, it's like the Queen came into the room. I want to stand up. I know why Lady Gaga wants Marisa to play her in a biopic. It's not because they look like sisters. It's because every woman, and many men, would love to have a smile like Marisa Tomei's.

We also meet Mick's opposing attorney ( Josh Lucas ); a former client he plea-bargained into prison ( Michael Pena ); a cop ( Bryan Cranston ) who considers him a shyster and, most valuable, Mick's private investigator ( William H. Macy ). The P.I. role isn't very big, but Macy makes it distinctive; he brings it a quirky familiarity that creates a history between the two men without a lot of setup. You care for the hard-working sap.

All of this comes together in a satisfactory way. It isn't brilliant, it's far from foolproof, and the second appearance of the motorcycle gang technically qualifies, I think, as a miracle. The Law of Seemingly Unnecessary Characters comes nicely into play as events from the present turn out to be connected to the past. I did feel undercut by the movie's final revelation — which is, let's face it, completely arbitrary. The plotting seems like half-realized stabs in various directions made familiar by other crime stories. But for what it is, “The Lincoln Lawyer” is workmanlike, engagingly acted and entertaining.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Rated R for some violence, sexual content and language

119 minutes

Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller

Marisa Tomei as Maggie

Ryan Phillippe as Louis

Josh Lucas as Ted

John Leguizamo as Val

Michael Pena as Jesus

Bob Gunton as Cecil

Frances Fisher as Mary

Bryan Cranston as Det. Lankford

William H. Macy as Frank

Directed by

• Brad Furman
• John Romano

Based on the novel by

• Michael Connelly

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Movie Review | 'The Lincoln Lawyer'

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By Manohla Dargis

• March 17, 2011

What happened — did Matthew McConaughey roll out of bed one morning and decide that, after smiling through one too many schlocky movies, playing the pretty boy opposite Sandra-Kate-Jennifer, he wanted to do something decent? Not great, mind you, just solid and satisfying, a movie that asked more of him than rock-hard abs and bleachy-white teeth, one with a touch of grit, a story to chew over and maybe even a beautiful woman who looks real, something like his latest, “The Lincoln Lawyer.”

The woman is Marisa Tomei, one of the few higher-profile American actresses in her age group (she was born in 1964, five years before Mr. McConaughey) who’s actually allowed to act her age, who conveys intelligence and sexiness, and suggests a life that’s been lived and without a face frozen by filler and fear. In “The Lincoln Lawyer,” a thriller adroitly adapted from the Michael Connelly book of the same title — directed by Brad Furman and written by John Romano — Ms. Tomei plays a character and not just the love interest. She isn’t the star, of course, but without her and the other exceptionally well-cast supporting players, Mr. McConaughey would have a tougher time making you believe that he was to the sleaze born.

But, oh, look at him go — no, cut through the waters — slicing through the crowds at this and that Los Angeles-area courthouse, a shark in gray suit and loafers. As Mick Haller (Mickey in the books), Mr. McConaughey keeps his focus tight — Mr. Furman making sure his camera does the same — doling out empty smiles to the guys with the badges and going straight for the clients whose innocence matters less than their wads of cash. Mick (the hard, short syllable suits him) works out of the back seat of his chauffeured Lincoln Town Car, an itinerant office, good for the rootless. It’s a portable refuge, as much a hideaway as an expression of the man who owns it: sleek, hard, fast and shut off from the world sprawling outside it.

Mr. Furman gives “The Lincoln Lawyer” the unpretty look it deserves, turning down the Southern California light so he can throw in some shadows. Save for a golf course where the moneyed hit balls oceanside and a high-ticket office with the usual mausoleum marble, the locations are often homey, sometimes downright homely, textured rather than slicked up. Mick has a killer view from his barely lived-in house in the hills, but he and the movie scarcely seem to notice. Mr. Furman, who made a no-profile feature debut in 2008 with “The Take,” even offers up another look at downtown Los Angeles, that overexposed movie set, peering behind its towers to where palm trees sway next to tangles of freeway.

The story, and there’s a lot of it, nicely condensed from Mr. Connelly’s page-turner best seller, largely turns on a case that looks like a slam dunk or, as one of Mick’s bail bondsmen, Val (John Leguizamo), insists, a jackpot. A man (Ryan Phillippe) did or did not beat up a woman, and his Beverly Hills grizzly mama (Frances Fisher) has the right get-out-of-jail card: a fat bank account. The client, Louis Roulet, insists on his innocence, and Mick takes the bait and the money (the same thing). Complications ensue. Mick works the case and chases leads, helped by an investigator (William H. Macy) and dogged by cops with grudges (Bryan Cranston and Michael Paré). Everything looks pretty clear-cut until it doesn’t.

Mr. Connelly, a crime reporter turned writer, spun Mick off his author’s popular series about a Los Angeles police detective by the name of Hieronymous Bosch, Harry for short. Though related to dodgy cinematic lawyers like the antiheroes from films like “The Verdict,” Mick doesn’t feel as if he were being readied for his big redemption. He has a likable ex-wife (Ms. Tomei, as a prosecutor), a young daughter who loves him and even friends. (They all seem to be on the payroll.) But Mr. Connelly doesn’t try to make us love the character, and neither does Mr. Furman. He exploits Mr. McConaughey’s facile charm, pulling us into Mick’s gravitational field, where he first counts the cash and then tries to do good. The cash is the easy part.

There are modest pleasures in a familiar story told differently enough that you’re happy to keep guessing and watching, despite this one’s five-ending pileup of a finish. Mr. Connelly was inspired by Raymond Chandler, and it shows in Mick’s jaded rap, and it’s likely that Mr. Furman watched Steven Soderbergh’s “Out of Sight.” “The Lincoln Lawyer” doesn’t approach those heights. But these are first-rate influences, and there’s much to like in how those inspirations have been absorbed, including the wrung-out life that Mr. McConaughey summons up and the sight of Michael Peña, as one of Mick’s old clients, going from freaked-out innocent to stone-cold lifer in a few short scenes. This is an agreeably nasty tale about a corrupt lawyer working all the angles, including, it’s safe to assume, a possible movie franchise.

“The Lincoln Lawyer” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Gunplay involving human and animal victims, and extreme violence against women.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER

Opens on Friday nationwide.

Directed by Brad Furman; written by John Romano, based on the novel by Michael Connelly; director of photography, Lukas Ettlin; edited by Jeff McEvoy; production design by Charisse Cardenas; costumes by Erin Benach; produced by Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Sidney Kimmel, Richard Wright and Scott Steindorff; released by Lionsgate. Running time: 1 hour 59 minutes.

WITH: Matthew McConaughey (Mick Haller), Ryan Phillippe (Louis Roulet), Marisa Tomei (Maggie McPherson), William H. Macy (Frank Levin), Josh Lucas (Ted Minton), Frances Fisher (Mary Windsor), John Leguizamo (Val Valenzuela), Michael Peña (Jesus Martinez), Bryan Cranston (Detective Lankford) and Michael Paré (Detective Kurlen).

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The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

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Movie review: ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’

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In “The Lincoln Lawyer,” Matthew McConaughey’s criminal defense attorney might seem like one cool customer, but in truth he sweats everything — the big stuff, the small stuff, the clients, the cases, the ex and the kid. Perhaps this is less a function of the high drama in this tightly coiled legal conundrum than someone saying, “All right, but if Matthew’s going to keep his shirt on, let’s at least keep him dripping wet.” Because, as countless beach photos in Us magazine attest, McConaughey does some of his best work wet.

He was never better, or sweatier, than playing a hot Southern lawyer trying to win a racially charged murder trial in the 1996 big-screen adaptation of “A Time to Kill.” Instead of John Grisham’s morally fraught attorney-client privilege dilemma, this time we’ve got Michael Connelly’s even darker vision of that sacred trust, spun inside a plot thicker than McConaughey’s honey-dipped Texas drawl.

Against all that heat, everyone and everything else just melts, which makes the film not the slam-dunk legal thriller it might have been. The biggest puddle turns out to be the client in the hot seat. Ryan Phillippe’s Louis Roulet is a young Beverly Hills real-estate slick in the mega-mansion business with a dirty little habit of paying for sex on the side. The question for the jury is whether or not he was the brutal beater or the intended mark of one Reggie Campo (Margarita Levieva). She’s a working girl pummeled in the heat of the night, who might be looking at a big pay day if she can drag this into civil court with a criminal conviction in her favor.

Now, Phillippe can definitely pull off arrogant, as he did to troubling effect in 1999’s “Cruel Intentions.” But he’s far more comfortable playing the innocent, his young Navy hero in “Flags of Our Fathers” chief among them. In “Lincoln,” that inherent goodness seeps through to work against him. The notion that there might be a vicious sicko and not just a spoiled rich kid behind those blues eyes and blond curls just never takes hold.

Without that tension, the filmmakers rely on McConaughey’s Mick Haller to emote concern, anger, regret, outrage, fear and revenge as he tools around Los Angeles in his Lincoln Town Car, license plate “NTGUILTY.” He’s got a “Driving Miss Daisy”-style chauffeur named Earl (Laurence Mason) offering up observations on the deals Mick brokers in the back seat. And an ex named Maggie that Marisa Tomei serves up as a luscious adversary, fighting the good fight of a prosecutor.

But this is McConaughey’s show, and to that end he is framed in long shots, tight shots, even just one-eye shots, with director of photography Lukas Ettlin working it from every angle. Unlike the cinematographer’s bumpy view of the city in the current “Battle: Los Angeles,” in “Lincoln,” Ettlin gives both the movie and us a smooth, stylish ride around town.

This is director Brad Furman’s first real shot at big-time filmmaking, with a handful of shorts and one feature, the little-seen 2007 righteous revenge flick “The Take,” all that’s in his pocket. What Furman did right in “The Take” was cast John Leguizamo in the lead, and he uses the actor again here in a small but tasty morsel playing a sleazy bail bondsman. Another satisfying mini-bite comes from Michael Peña (also in “Battle: Los Angeles”), making his few minutes as a one-time client count.

While Furman shows a mostly steady hand with his actors, the narrative flow trips things up considerably. Connelly’s book turns out to be too much for screenwriter John Romano to handle. Romano has worked across the TV spectrum and has a few film credits, including co-writing the adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ sappy romance “Nights in Rodanthe.” But the intricate plotting that distinguished the book overwhelms the movie.

It’s a shame that no one seems to know what to keep and what to discard. Among the unfortunate, William H. Macy, as Mick’s private investigator and a key player in the mystery, is dispensed with so fast that you wonder why they bothered. Meanwhile, Josh Lucas’ greenhorn of a prosecutor fades, as the tense courtroom sparring and most of the character’s spine is missing.

“Lincoln’s” saving grace is the way McConaughey manages to be magnetic against all odds. In Mick, there is a maturity not seen in his other work, a more nuanced performance as the actor exposes the uncertainty inside the smooth sarcasm, the decency behind the grifter’s smile. If only we could have seen more of that, even with his shirt on.

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Former Los Angeles Times film critic Betsy Sharkey is an award-winning entertainment journalist and bestselling author. She left the newsroom in 2015. In addition to her critical essays and reviews of about 200 films a year for The Times, Sharkey’s weekly movie reviews appeared in newspapers nationally and internationally. Her books include collaborations with Oscar-winning actresses Faye Dunaway on “Looking for Gatsby” and Marlee Matlin on “I’ll Scream Later.” Sharkey holds a degree in journalism and a master’s in communications theory from Texas Christian University.

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'Lincoln Lawyer': McConaughey, Winning On Appeal

Ella Taylor

Knight Rider: Matthew McConaughey's Mick Haller is a smooth criminal-defense attorney who begins to wonder if a former client belongs in jail — and if a current one should be imprisoned. Saeed Adyani/Lionsgate hide caption

The Lincoln Lawyer

• Director: Brad Furman
• Genre: Crime Thriller
• Running Time: 119 minutes

Rated R for some violence, sexual content and language

With: Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillippe, Marisa Tomei, William H. Macy

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'Dangerous Place'

Just when you thought Matthew McConaughey had settled into pre-retirement, content to play the (dry-aged) beefcake in a string of dippy romantic comedies, the actor comes roaring back with some real acting. In the engaging thriller The Lincoln Lawyer, McConaughey gives a debonair Clooney of a performance as Mick Haller, a smooth shyster of a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney — a man who, it will astonish you to learn, grows ever nobler as the deepening mysteries of an apparently clear-cut case oblige him to redeem the wrongly accused and redress the wrongly excused.

Thematically the film, directed with intermittent flair by Brad Furman ( The Take ) from a literate screenplay by John Romano, adds up to little more than a lengthy plot noodle complicated by gleefully layered flashbacks and powered by the usual Robin Hoodish sword-waving. It's based on a novel by Michael Connelly, who has a former crime reporter's eye for the informal mechanics by which a justice system subverts its best ideals.

A willing bottom-feeder with the usual B-movie accoutrements, Mick works out of an ancient Lincoln Continental whose registration plate, NTGUILTY, may be read as either heavy irony or a mission statement. His "associates" are a loyal driver (Laurence Mason, emitting the statutory dry asides) and a rumpled private eye played by William H. Macy, a reliably terrific actor even when he's got up like a claymated chipmunk in shoulder-length hair and cratered cheeks.

McConaughey's Mick has spent his life negotiating plea bargains whose unintended effect, all too often, has been to put the innocent in jail and the guilty back out on the streets. But the humanitarian twinkle in his eye implies white-knight potential, even when, to raise necessary cash, he takes the case of a pampered playboy (one Louis Roulet, played by Ryan Phillippe) who claims to have been framed for the brutal murder of a call girl. The setups multiply, bouncing between apparent victims and putative aggressors like a deadly game of ping-pong, until Mick and his family become targets themselves.

Repeatedly underlining its populist credentials, the movie wheels in a soignée but ice-cold Frances Fisher as Louis' patrician control-freak of a mother, a real-estate mogul who believes that money can be usefully thrown at any problem. In its last leg, drunk on plot twists and tangled in flaccid courtroom drama that's only briefly enlivened by a very funny Shea Whigham as a clueless witness for the prosecution, The Lincoln Lawyer putters to a halt just when it should be steaming to a climax.

As danger dogs his heels, Mick turns for help (and comfort) to his ex-wife, Maggie (Marisa Tomei). Saeed Adyani/Lionsgate hide caption

As danger dogs his heels, Mick turns for help (and comfort) to his ex-wife, Maggie (Marisa Tomei).

But if The Lincoln Lawyer has nothing new of substance to offer in its tale of life on the judicial margins, it has relaxed L.A. atmosphere to burn. Furman paints an unaffected, downright loving portrait of the city without recourse to cutaways of palm trees, Muscle Beach or the palaces of Mulholland Drive. The seaminess, backed by a low-key soundtrack, never seems overdone; as shot by cinematographer Lukas Ettlin, downtown Los Angeles is just what it is — a vitally unplanned muddle of skyscrapers, ugly-functional courtrooms, stuffy bars and sleek corporate suites.

And The Lincoln Lawyer is stuffed with good ensemble acting, with McConaughey firmly in charge at its center. Like many directors, Furman loves to shoot the actor's carved profile. McConaughey remains the virile hunk, yet there's a touching vulnerability — and a taste of meaty roles to come — in the slight sag of his jutting chin and the slow rise of his receding hairline.

None of which detracts from the jaunty joie de vivre of Mick, a man altered by experience but still more juiced by cutting deals with Hell's Angels than by the prospect of career mobility. You can see why this beguiling fellow's wife — a scandalously underused Marisa Tomei as the long-suffering prosecutor from whom Mick is of course divorced (with banter) — is still willing to help out on the occasional case. And to disrobe for him, if only now and then.

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The lincoln lawyer: film review.

John Leguizamo, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy and Marisa Tomei also star in the movie based on Michael Connelly's first Mickey Haller novel.

By Kirk Honeycutt

Kirk Honeycutt

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The hands behind The Lincoln Lawyer   are all old ones when it comes to crime. Screenwriter John Romano  served time as writer-producer on Hills Street Blues, L.A. Law and  Monk,  while director Brad Furman  turned to crime in his first feature, The Take . Meanwhile, the film is based on the first Mickey Haller novel by ace crime novelist Michael Connelly , who literally reinvented the L.A. noir novel with his realistic procedural series starring iconoclastic police detective Harry Bosch and now his Lincoln Lawyer series featuring attorney-at-law Michael “Mick” Haller.

So no great surprise here that The Lincoln Lawyer  turns out to be superior piece of crime storytelling with some characters clearly designed for recurring roles (in other novels and perhaps other films should this one do well) while others are designated for showy guest appearances as larger-than-life evildoers or tough-guy eccentrics. The film is only “superior” though, not great. The themes feel shopworn and devotee of crime fiction can point to the any number of antecedents for these characters.

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All of which may add up to a couple of above-average weeks at the box office for Lionsgate and perhaps an even more handsome payoff in home entertainment. Viewers may sense this is the kind of bad-guys-vs.-even-worse-guys film they can check out any time on TV, cable or Netflix.

Its ambulance-chaser protagonist, Haller ( Matthew McConaughey , returning to the profession that established his career with 1996’s A Time to Kill ), is anything but new, only perhaps his MO is a bit unusual: He conducts most of his business in the backseat of a chauffeured Lincoln Continental. (Surely you didn’t suppose there was something Lincoln-esque about a Michael Connelly hero, did you?) Its license plate reads NTGUILTY, which is a condition he never finds any client, mostly petty thieves, hookers, drug-dealing bikers and the occasional low-level killer he handles through his knowledgeable exploitation of the legal system.

Then thanks to a paid-off bail bondsman ( John Leguizamo ), he lands a rich Beverly Hills playboy ( Ryan Phillippe ), accused of battery and attempted murder of a women. As always, a client adamantly declares his innocence — the whole thing, he insists, is a set-up to take a rich kid to the cleaners — but for once Haller thinks it might be true. Instead of pleas bargains and deals, he may actually have to defend his client in court.

Unfortunately, crime fiction has turned everyone into a cynic. So you are privileged to smell a rat the street-smart lawyer can’t. Even Haller’s faithful investigator ( William H. Macy , still in long tresses for his Shameless Showtime series) picks up the odor.

The story moves along at a swift clip, introducing key characters who may play roles in upcoming episodes — Haller’s ex-wife and a prosecuting attorney no less for a little of that Adam’s Rib give-and-take ( Marisa Tomei , brutally underused); his faithful chauffeur ( Laurence Mason ); and opposing attorney ( Josh Lucas ) — plus minor, seemingly inconsequential ones, that suddenly play major tasks at the climax.

The strong scent of deja vu hangs over everything — a cop even asks how Haller can sleep at night given the scum he defends — but nothing prevents the movie from its basic job of entertainment. OK, far-fetched entertainment, that you can pick apart at your leisure after the slightly out-of-left-field climax. (It’s more like third base.)

Every now and then an actor appears to delivers such rock-solid character work that you can only imagine what The Lincoln Lawyer  might have been with less reliance on rote characters and situations. Such an actor is Michael Pena , who plays a poor schnook Haller once defended only for him to wind up in San Quentin prison.

As L.A. crime movies have used up the usual locations, this one wanders into Echo Park, Boyle Heights, Inglewood and the like to pick up worn-out, interestingly unconventional neighborhoods that are new to film.

So call the film NTBAD. It accomplishes its job in a smooth, cool manner with showy performances, the economy of TV-style camera set-ups and a touch of rap on its soundtrack. In March, you can do so much worse.

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The Lincoln Lawyer review

Matthew McConaughey stars in legal drama, The Lincoln Lawyer. Here's Mark's review of an average film with an excellent central performance...

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Given the quality of many American television shows right now, it’s no slight to cinema when something like The Lincoln Lawyer comes on and I say, in the most positive way possible, that it reminded me very much of a double-length episode of a legal procedural drama.

In an altogether more unexpected way, I have to speak highly of Matthew McConaughey.

Yep, that’s Matthew McConaughey, or ‘Mahogany’, as he’s known to those who have a troubled relationship with his permanent and slightly wooden acting in such classics as Two For The Money or Fool’s Gold. He takes a step out of his usual high salary typecast romantic lead in order to play Mick Haller, a lawyer with a slightly unscrupulous attitude.

After being busted for driving under the influence in the months before the film opened, Mick is now chauffeured around LA in his mobile office, a Lincoln Town Car, representing anyone who’ll pay well. With the privilege of attorney-client confidentiality, Mick has no bones about representing guilty clients, just as long as he wins the case. That is, until he is retained by Louis Roulet, a wealthy real estate agent who has been accused of rape and attempted murder by a prostitute.

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Louis protests his innocence even to Mick, and Mick, haunted by the last client who swore his innocence and ended up serving life in jail, is ready to believe him. However, Louis isn’t all that he seems, and Mick soon finds himself way out of his depth and entangled in his ethical obligations to his client.

Here’s how it ends up feeling televisual. The supporting cast includes William H. Macy, Marisa Tomei, John Leguizamo, Bryan Cranston, Michael Peña, Michael Paré and Josh Lucas. A few moderately big names in there, but more importantly, a whole lot of talent. Sounds good, right?

The trouble is that they’re all playing characters with little to actually do . The Lincoln Lawyer brings out a procession of incidental characters from the very beginning: the investigator, the secretary, the chauffeur, the prostitute, the grizzled cop, the dedicated cop, the prosecutors, the drug addict, the guardian Hell’s Angels, etc, etc.

And so, casting more well-known actors feels almost like a reflexive move against how televisual it all is. Some of those characters, most notably William H. Macy’s Frank and Marisa Tomei’s Maggie, would be recurring characters if this actually were a TV series, but the others feel like easily interchangeable archetypes who could be encountered every week in something like Law And Order .

In amongst all of this, Ryan Phillippe, an actor for whom I usually have much praise, seems to be on auto-pilot as Roulet. Sure, he’s a nasty piece of work, and he’s doing a decent job of concealing his true nature to the rest of the world, but he’s never really menacing, which could have helped instil some tension when we know the truth about the crime from very early on.

McConaughey has practically admitted himself that he lost out on a bigger salary by doing this film instead of another romantic comedy, but honestly, it pays off for him. It’s the first time I have ever seen him in a role where he didn’t get on my nerves, and it’s a strong indicator of how good he could actually be if he chucks in his status of (un)romantic lead and keeps right on this path.

Indeed, as Haller’s rival prosecutor, Josh Lucas suffers most from McConaughey’s newly discovered talents because I’ve always viewed the two as so interchangeable with one another that the geek in me genuinely became concerned in the scenes where they squared off. Surely, the proximity of the two constitutes some violation of the Blinovitch Limitation Effect, and we’re all going to die?

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Our impending doom aside, The Lincoln Lawyer constitutes an entirely serviceable if not unpredictable legal drama. It’s a bit by-numbers, but without any particular inclination towards the genre of courtroom dramas, it held my attention for the full length of its running time. However, it does lose marks for decidedly lacking that cinematic touch from time to time.

Matthew McConaughey’s performance is, against all odds, the most intriguing thing about it, as he muddles through his ethical conflict from the back seat of his Lincoln, which pretty much serves as his Batmobile or his General Lee, if we’re looking at this through the prism of a TV series, and generally being quite impressive in the role.

And really, who knew he could carry off such a muscular performance that has absolutely nothing to do with taking his shirt off?

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Mark Harrison | @MHarrison90

Mark is a writer from Middlesbrough, who once drunkenly tried (and failed) to pitch a film about his hometown to a director from Pixar. Fortunately, he…

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Movie Review: The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

• Mariusz Zubrowski
• Movie Reviews
• No responses
• --> March 19, 2011

Riding through the sun-drenched Los Angeles, the charismatic defense attorney, Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey), immediately presents himself as someone you’d like to know in times of trouble . . . as long as you’ve got the dough to pay upfront. He’s a courtroom monster who has no problem talking his way out of defending a client who can’t flip the bill. But the life of fast cars, lotsa’ fast money, and partnerships with desperate biker gangs, takes a turn for the worst when he accepts a case protecting a pretty-boy rich kid named Louis Roulet (Ryan Philippe) who repeatedly claims his innocence in the brutal beating of a young woman, despite the mountain of evidence packed on against him. Now business becomes personal for the charmer as his demons — repressed guilt and alcoholism — come out of hiding whilst in the middle of an increasingly complicated web of deceit.

Director Brad Furman ( The Take ) puts a lot of care in trying to channel legal dramas of the late ’70s (such as . . . And Justice for All ) into The Lincoln Lawyer , a big-screen reimaging of the first in a long series of stories by American crime writer, Michael Connelly, that chronicle the smooth-talking lawyer’s misadventures. With anesthetically pleasing opening credits, a montage of streetscapes set to Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland’s “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” and a lead that oozes cool, the director earns high grades in sculpting an entertaining popcorn drama that sidesteps many of its major pitfalls.

It’s refreshing to see an adaptation — no matter how preposterous to may be — that honors the original author’s vision. By hiring McConaughey, who has been a slump (to say the least), since the days of A Time to Kill and Lone Star , Furman has risked a box office dive (by those who have set the actor’s name as a red flag of sorts), instead choosing to preserve Connelly’s image of Haller. (Interestingly enough, McConaughey is explicitly mentioned in one of the author’s novels, 9 Dragons , in which a cornered suspect, who can’t provide an alibi for himself, claims that the actor can account for his story). Was it a premonition on Connelly’s part, was it the director’s way of honoring the reference, or is McConaughey truly the best fit for the role? That, my friends, I cannot answer, though I suspect a combination of the three; the actor has not only the look, but also the West Coast swagger demanded when playing a character rarely seen without a fresh suit and who does most of his business dealings in a Lincoln Town Car.

But when McConaughey’s charisma begins to teeter-totter, the excellent supporting cast pulls the production back up. The always radiant Marisa Tomei plays Haller’s ex-lover (with whom he has fathered a child), courtroom rival, and friend. Her main role in the film is acting as Mick’s rock, constantly picking him up from the local bar, while struggling to keep the reoccurring flame out of their seemingly dead romantic relationship. The most poignant factor in their chemistry being the entire “he’s a defense-attorney, while she’s a prosecutor” dynamic, which results in constant feuds over whose job is more morally acceptable — it is even hinted that this key element was responsible for the eventual downfall in their courtship. Also interesting choices are William H. Macy as Frank Levin, private investigator and Mick’s right-hand man, and Earl (Laurence Mason), his street-smart chauffeur.

Not so noteworthy are Philippe and Michael Peà±a, as Roulet and Jesus Martinez, an innocent man who Haller couldn’t keep out of jail, respectively — the variables in the protagonist’s life. Unlike Frank or Earl, their relationship to him constantly changes, none of these metamorphoses being rather interesting due to the actors’ bland performances — damning flaws as these are two of the most important characters in The Lincoln Lawyer .

John Romano’s ( Nights in Rodanthe ) screenplay has some problems of its own too, namely the fact that it isn’t very groundbreaking nor is it too memorable. In addition, the pacing becomes wackier as the film progresses and the climax comes much too abruptly. Much like his protagonist’s machine-gun mouth, Romano spews too much information too quickly, however, the evidence still stands and the verdict is set: Furman’s throwback is a whole lotta’ fun.

Eventually I'll put something nifty here. Until then, know that I'm watching you. Closely.

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The lincoln lawyer, common sense media reviewers.

Legal thriller entertains but is too dark, heavy for kids.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Unfair biases within the legal system that favor t

Most of the characters are deeply flawed, and some

Despite being set in L.A. County, where almost hal

Three characters are shot -- at least one is kille

A formerly married couple flirts with each other o

Language includes a few uses of "f--k," plus "a--h

Several brands are featured or mentioned more than

Nearly every scene shows a character drinking (bee

Parents need to know that The Lincoln Lawyer is a legal thriller starring Matthew McConaughey that's based on Michael Connelly's 2005 novel. It has enough language, violence, and substance use to make it too mature for younger teens. The violence includes everything from murders and a gang beat-down to sexual…

Positive Messages

Unfair biases within the legal system that favor the powerful should be opposed and can be overcome. Everyone deserves a good, knowledgeable defense attorney, and when someone is innocent of a crime, they should be fought for at all costs.

Positive Role Models

Most of the characters are deeply flawed, and some, like the Roulets -- the main villains -- have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. But main character Mick believes in the justice system, in his friendship with Frank, and in the innocence of one of his clients. He also seems to be a loving father.

Diverse Representations

Despite being set in L.A. County, where almost half the population is Latino, the film only features three Latino characters (all of whom are in supporting roles). Thankfully, even though two of them are labeled "criminals" none are presented as bad people; and the film's major theme of fighting to defend the innocent hinges on the reveal that Jesus Martinez was wrongfully convicted and is eventually exonerated. One of the three Latino characters, Regina Campo, is played by an actor of Russian-Jewish descent (Margarita Levieva). Ultimately, the film portrays the legal system as classist but avoids focusing on race. As for women, two characters are victimized by Louis and generally shown to be helpless. This is somewhat balanced out by the agency displayed (in a negative way) by Mary Windsor, and (in a positive way) by Maggie. Also, Mick and Maggie are divorced but still close and are loving parents for their daughter.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Three characters are shot -- at least one is killed in an execution-style murder. Many references to violent crimes, and the entire movie is focused on a possible rape, assault, and murder (shown in flashback a few times). A gang of bikers brutally beats up a character. A character threatens another's family. Suspects recall the crimes they've been accused of committing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A formerly married couple flirts with each other on several occasions and sleeps together once. The woman is shown in her bra, and the man is shown in varying degrees of undress, but there's no actual nudity, and the scene is brief. Characters often discuss sex and (usually in a disparaging way) sex work. Two different sex workers in skimpy outfits flirt with potential clients in clubs.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes a few uses of "f--k," plus "a--hole," "s--t," the occasional "prick" and "p---y," "ass," "hell," "damn," "oh my God," and "goddamn." In one conversation, a character uses the derogatory terms "fag" and "faggot" at least four times.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Several brands are featured or mentioned more than once in the movie, including Mick's titular Lincoln Continental, a client's Maserati and Range Rover, a bike gang's Harleys, Apple computers, a Mustang, and a recognizable brand of vodka.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Nearly every scene shows a character drinking (beer, cocktails, hard liquor) -- in a bar, at home, at dinner -- and more often than not, the characters are getting drunk. It's mentioned that Mick is chauffeured around because he lost his driver's license; the implication is that it was DUI related. Both he and his ex-wife drink excessively; they even have sex after they're both fairly drunk. A character asks for a smoke, and another is seen with a pack of cigarettes, but she's not shown smoking them. References to drug use, substance abuse, and rehab.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Lincoln Lawyer is a legal thriller starring Matthew McConaughey that's based on Michael Connelly's 2005 novel. It has enough language, violence, and substance use to make it too mature for younger teens. The violence includes everything from murders and a gang beat-down to sexual assaults replayed a few times from different perspectives. Language includes a few uses of "f--k," plus "s--t" and "a--hole." There's only one actual sex scene (with partial undressing but no nudity) but several references to the act and sex work. This McConaughey thriller is likely too heavy for younger audiences. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (8)
• Kids say (5)

Based on 8 parent reviews

Main theme is too much for kids

There may not be any actual nudity but beware, what's the story.

In THE LINCOLN LAWYER, Mick Haller ( Matthew McConaughey ) is a slick L.A. criminal-defense attorney who, lacking a proper office, conducts most of his business from the safety of his chauffeured Lincoln Town Car. His clients are usually those shunned by polite society -- bikers with drug charges, sex workers, and alleged murderers -- so he's surprised when his bail bondsman pal Val ( John Leguizamo ) tells him to meet with Louis Roulet ( Ryan Phillippe ), the wealthy son of a real-estate mogul. Louis has been arrested for a violent sexual assault and, for some unknown reason, wants Haller to represent him even though he has enough money to hire a top-tier attorney. As Mick and his colleague, private investigator Frank Levin ( William H. Macy ), begin to dig around, they realize that Louis is hiding something -- and Haller's former client roster holds the key to the secret.

Is It Any Good?

McConaughey's performance as a defense attorney is well-ranged and engaging. In The Lincoln Lawyer , his character is smart and very good at what he does; but he's also lonely and troubled -- the cost of defending the indefensible for so many years. McConaughey looks appropriately awful at times -- he's grieving, haunted, and drunk for the second half of The Lincoln Lawyer -- and it works, strangely enough.

The movie also benefits from a host of veteran supporting actors, from Oscar winner Marisa Tomei as Mick's prosecutor and ex-wife, to Phillippe as the rich boy with an attitude, to the excellent Macy as Mick's PI/best friend. Leguizamo's over-caffeinated delivery is always good for a laugh, and underrated actor Michael Peña gives a scene-stealing performance as Mick's former client who's serving a life sentence for a crime he may not have committed. The twists aren't exactly Presumed Innocent -sized, but they're compelling enough to keep you interested, and with so many good actors walking around, this is one McConaughey movie worth checking out.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the way The Lincoln Lawyer depicts drinking . Are there consequences for characters who drink too much? Do those consequences seem realistic?

How do wealth and race affect the justice system? Is Louis treated differently than the other suspected criminals depicted in the movie?

Why are legal thrillers often so captivating? Are real-life court cases ever this twisty and full of spectacle? And how does the perspective change depending on what role a person is in -- for example, a defense attorney's compared to a juror's?

Are the sex workers in this film empowered? Are their thoughts, perspectives, emotions, or free will depicted? Or are they treated as props in someone else's story?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 18, 2011
• On DVD or streaming : July 12, 2011
• Cast : Marisa Tomei , Matthew McConaughey , Ryan Phillippe , William H. Macy
• Director : Brad Furman
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Lionsgate
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Book Characters
• Run time : 119 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : some violence, sexual content, and language
• Last updated : February 4, 2024

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Is Warmed-Over David E. Kelley: TV Review

By Daniel D'Addario

Daniel D'Addario

Chief TV Critic

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David E. Kelley never went away, exactly, but his brand of high-middlebrow drama conveyed with alternating froth and gravity has been particularly thick on the ground of late. Earlier this spring, Netflix debuted his “Anatomy of a Scandal,” following on a run of recent successes that has also included “Nine Perfect Strangers,” “The Undoing,” and “Big Little Lies,” all starring Nicole Kidman.

With “ The Lincoln Lawyer ,” Kelley continues his recent alliance with Netflix (though the series was initially intended to air on CBS and is produced by A+E Studios). He also — as he did with his trio of Kidman series, which were all literary adaptations — sublimates his vision to that of another author. Here, he’s adapting the work of novelist Michael Connelly, whose character Mickey Haller runs his law practice from the backseat of the titular town car, driving around a Los Angeles full of potential clients. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plays Mickey as a wounded creature — just emerging from opioid addiction after an accident, we’re told — who is governed by a belief in his lawyering abilities.

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Mickey’s attempts to stay on the straight and narrow make for one narrative thread in this series, emphasized by his working relationship with the recovering addict he hires as his driver (played by Jazz Raycole). Elsewhere, “The Lincoln Lawyer” turns its attention to his work on behalf of a tech genius on trial for murder who insists that, for the sake of his company’s image and solvency, he be found not merely not guilty but innocent. This allows for a certain Kelleyish willingness to lecture the audience on the ins and outs of trial law.

Popular on Variety

Kelley’s belief in the inherent intrigue of the legal process helps him along; one can sense enthusiasm undergirding, say, an episode built around the jury-selection process. But others of the creator’s tricks fail him, like a tendency to lean hard on the quirkiness of bit players studded through the story, seemingly intended as a sort of comic relief that doesn’t consistently land. (Would you believe, for instance, that one of Mickey’s clients is a college student who can’t stop nude sunbathing and thinks Americans are uptight?) There’s a seeming attempt to graft on some of the zany zing of the “Ally McBeal” days here.

And that show, as with other Kelley properties, had a dynamic lead; Garcia-Rulfo is an appealing performer, but he’s surprisingly low-key. His Mickey can feel in demeanor like a character to whom things happen, even as the script and story insist his mind is constantly whirring with possibilities. To wit: Exchanges between Garcia-Rulfo and his ex-wives, played by Neve Campbell and Becki Newton as two legal professionals both very much a part of his present-day life, seem to get all their snap from the women, and courtroom scenes are often strangely sapped of energy (hardly a complaint one is used to making about a Kelley series). At its best, the Kelley legal drama has real bite and something to say. In “The Lincoln Lawyer,” working off of a novelist’s script, Kelley amasses incident — personal and family drama along with court cases — but doesn’t quite pull it all together.

“The Lincoln Lawyer” debuts Friday, May 13, on Netflix.

Netflix. Ten episodes (six screened for review).

• Production: Executive producers: David E. Kelley, Ted Humphrey, Michael Connelly, Ross Fineman, Barry Jossen, Tana Jamieson
• Cast: Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Neve Campbell, Becki Newton , Angus Sampson, Jazz Raycole.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ on Netflix, A David E. Kelley Series Reboot Of The Novel and Film Character

Where to stream:.

• The Lincoln Lawyer

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The Lincoln Lawyer returns to the courtroom and his titular mobile office in this Netflix series based on the second installment of Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller legal thrillers . The very good 2009 film starring Matthew McConaughey as Haller is not in play here. Instead, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is the savvy LA criminal defense attorney. And don’t you dare say anything about him being Harry Bosch’s half-brother. Netflix and Amazon don’t like each other.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Downton Los Angeles, nighttime. The camera pans to a parking structure, where a man in a suit hurries to his BMW with his laptop bag in tow. He hears a noise. He looks over his shoulder…

The Gist: Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) made his bones by defending anyone who The Man came at, and being anywhere his down-and-out, downtrodden, or even downright despicable clients needed him to be, which in a gridlock-choked town like Los Angeles was always made easier by doing his lawyering from the backseat of a Lincoln. But then a surfing accident sidelined him and his career, and saddled Mickey with an addiction to painkillers. Now, 18 months later, redemption appears. That guy in the parking structure? He was murdered at close range. But somewhat mysteriously, he had already arranged to leave his legal practice to Mickey, his friend and colleague, whose own career had floundered as he struggled to kick oxy. And that practice includes the high-profile case of game designer whiz kid Travis Elliott (reliable TV mainstay Christoper Gorham), who’s accused of killing his wife and her yoga instructor boyfriend. Mickey and Lorna (Becki Newton), his ex-wife and case manager, work to get up to speed on the Elliott case. Mickey also enlists Cisco (Angus Sampson), an independent investigator and Lorna’s main squeeze.

Putting aside his friend’s unsolved murder – for now – Mickey works a few angles to solve another outstanding case from his new docket, an assault beef on a young woman named Izzy Letts (Jazz Raycole). Now she’s free, but she can’t pay. No problem. This Lincoln lawyer needs a driver he can trust. And as Izzy ferries Mickey to Malibu and the crime scene inside Travis’s luxe beachfront manse, he promises Maggie (Neve Campbell), his first ex-wife and a high-powered prosecutor, that he’ll be on time to pick up their daughter Hayley (Krista Warner).

Later, as Mickey and Hayley eat dinner at his home, the LAPD’s Detective Griggs (Ntare Mwine) appears. He wants to look at the files in Mickey’s new law office – maybe there’s a clue as to why his colleague was murdered. “You’re at risk, counselor,” Griggs warns Haller. And he’s probably right. But the Elliott case is more important, and after a wavering monologue involving the uncanny valley hypothesis and the assertion of his innocence, Travis officially hires Mickey as his counsel. The Lincoln lawyer is back. But is he still as good as he was? And is he a target, too?

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? With David E. Kelley aboard as creator, The Lincoln Lawyer joins the prolific TV writer in his favored milieu of the courtroom alongside The Practice , Boston Legal , Ally McBeal , and of course, L.A. Law . (Kelley’s more recent successes are the Nicole Kidman-adjacent HBO dramas Big Little Lies and The Undoing .) But  with its standard issue procedural format and stock characters, Lincoln also aligns with any typical network television drama playing in the 9 o’clock slot.

Our Take : The politics of ownership rights and clearances will almost certainly prevent a crossover of Netflix’s Lincoln Lawyer into the universe of Prime Video’s Bosch: Legacy . But even if the legalese prevents their being half-siblings, the streets the two characters share are still the same. From the surfing accident that nearly killed him and plunged him into the downward spiral of oxy addiction, to Mickey cruising across the 6th Street Viaduct in his 1966 Lincoln Continental convertible – a gorgeous, cobalt blue four-door land yacht complete with suicide doors – to his comfortable midcentury home in the Hollywood Hills, The Lincoln Lawyer definitely plays up the City of Angels as a character. (Its neighborhood grid even figures into the title graphic.) And Mickey himself knows where he fits in. “When I am right, there’s no better criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles,” he tells the presiding judge who signs over the murdered lawyer’s practice to him. Mickey also tells Travis that Tinsel Town’s dime-a-dozen celebrity lawyers aren’t worth the hype. “You’ve never heard of me because I make it a practice never to be heard of.” All of this does well to establish a sense of place. But what about the Lincoln lawyer himself?

If Mickey makes it his practice to never be heard of, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo seems to be making it his to never be seen. He’s a curious blank in The Lincoln Lawyer , a lead character who spends his days responding to prompts from every other character in his life, whether it’s Lorna at their new law practice or Travis summoning him to the fancy, ultra-mod offices of his gaming empire. The convertible Continental disappears, too, replaced by the slick but nondescript box of a Navigator SUV. Even Lorna’s relationship with Cisco is more interesting than Mickey’s relationship with his pair of exes. Maybe he’s saving the fireworks for the courtroom. After all, the Travis Elliott case is set to play out over the season’s full ten episodes. And Mickey does manage that wily bit of bluster-busting defense that clears Izzy and lands him his new driver. But The Lincoln Lawyer and Garcia-Rulfo need to figure out how to amplify their main dude before he disappears into a throng of more interesting side characters and the streets on which he rides.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: Mickey’s back in the Navigator with Izzy. Travis Elliott just agreed to his representation, and on his face is a mixture of relief and elation. He catches Izzy’s look in the rearview. “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah,” she says. “We’re being followed.”

Sleeper Star: Ugly Betty and How I Met Your Mother vet Becki Newton is the brightest spot in The Lincoln Lawyer as Lorna, Mickey’s second ex-wife and the plucky case manager at his law practice. Lorna is sharp, sarcastic, and more than happy to tell off the LAPD’s foot soldiers. “You know, you don’t help yourselves being dicky’do’s.”

Most Pilot-y Line: “Drive one of the Lincolns,” Lorna urges Mickey. “Get one out of storage. The Lincoln becomes you. You become you.” Conveniently for any viewers new to his world, driving around in a Lincoln also defines the character.

Will you stream or skip the legal drama #TheLincolnLawyer on @netflix ? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) May 15, 2022

Our Call: STREAM IT, particularly if you miss something sturdy and nutritious in your TV diet, something like TNT’s The Closer . The Lincoln Lawyer is easily consumable episodic fare with an LA look and some flash it could use more of.

Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift. Follow him on Twitter: @glennganges

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Here's When The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3's Release Is Now Expected to Happen

Mickey Haller will be back in action when The Lincoln Lawyer finally returns on Netflix .

Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer follows the misadventures of attorney at law Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), who practices out of his 2022 Lincoln Navigator (which is how the series got its name) in Los Angeles, California.

The series is based on the legal novels of author Michael Connelly and premiered in 2022. Before Netflix’s take, The Lincoln Lawyer was adapted into a 2011 feature film, released through Lionsgate and starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey.

[ The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Release, Cast & Everything We Know ]

When Will Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Hit Netflix?

Shortly after the release of The Lincoln Lawyer ‘s second season, Netflix renewed the series for Season 3. 

Filming on the third batch of episodes commenced on January 18. Given that, it isn’t too difficult to narrow down a rough release window.

The Lincoln Lawyer ’s first season began filming on March 30, 2021 and wrapped on August 3 that same year. However, Season 1 didn’t debut until May 13, 2022.

Season 2 followed a similarly timed production cycle, starting shooting on October 31, 2021 and running until March 2022.

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 was confirmed for 2025 , but no specific dates were provided. Assuming Season 3’s production lasts about the same length as the previous two outings, an early 2025 release date is expected.

What’s the Holdup on The Lincoln Lawyer’s New Episodes?

With The Lincoln Lawyer ’s first season coming to Netflix in 2022 and the second season releasing a year later in 2023, it might‘ve been easy to assume that Season 3 would be released this year.

But Hollywood as a whole had other plans. Indeed, Lincoln Lawyer ’s shooting schedule was likely impacted by the double-header Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023, which ground almost every domestic film and television production to a quick halt.

When the work stoppages were resolved last fall, a logjam of content clogged the works as studios scrambled to get back on track. Ultimately, filming on The Lincoln Lawyer probably didn't resume until later than expected.

Hopefully, though, the wait for the popular drama will be worth it for longtime fans.

The first two seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer are streaming on Netflix.

LATEST NEWS

‘Plankton: The Movie’: Second SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Drops on Netflix in 2025

Plankton: The Movie – Plankton’s world is flipped upside down when his plan for world domination is thwarted. Cr: Netflix/Nickelodeon Animation Studios © 2024

During its Next on Netflix: Animation event on June 6, 2024, Netflix announced new animated projects and provided updates on some already announced. One of the new titles announced was Plankton: The Movie , one of two SpongeBob spinoffs Netflix is getting exclusively.  

On the air since 1999, with nearly 300 episodes under its belt and countless spin-offs and movies, SpongeBob SquarePants remains Nickelodeon’s biggest IP.

Back in 2019, Nickelodeon and Netflix struck a deal that would bring new Nickelodeon projects exclusively to Netflix. That’s seen numerous live-action projects come to Netflix, plus several animated feature films such as Invader Zim: Enter the FLORPUS , The Loud House Movie , Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie , and most recently, The Casagrandes Movie .

The first mention of SpongeBob SquarePants content coming to Netflix came courtesy of the NY Times . In their report, they refer to a Squidward musical and although we’ve not seen that come to fruition specifically, we are now getting SpongeBob SquarePants spin-offs.

The first is based on Sandy Cheeks. Titled S aving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, that’s set for an August 2024 release.

SAVING BIKINI BOTTOM: THE SANDY CHEEKS MOVIE – Cr: Netflix © 2024

Now, we’ve got information on a second project courtesy of the Next on Netflix: Animation presentation that took place on June 6th.

The logline for Plankton: The Movie is rather brief:

“Plankton’s world is flipped upside down when his plan for world domination is thwarted.”

The movie will be directed by Dave Needham ( Penguins of Madagascar , The Boss Baby ) and written by Doug Lawrence, Kaz, and Chris Viscardi.

The SpongeBob cast is expected to return in this one and the Sandy Cheeks movie. They are:

• Doug Lawrence as Plankton
• Tom Kenny  as SpongeBob SquarePants
• Bill Fagerbakke  as Patrick
• Rodger Bumpass  as Squidward
• Carolyn Lawrence  as Sandy Cheeks
• Clancy Brown
• Jill Talley

Plankton: The Movie will contain original songs by Bret McKenzie, Linda Perry, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Bob Mothersbaugh, with Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper composing the score.

Are you excited about Plankton: The Movie ? Let us know in the comments, and keep this post bookmarked for the latest.

Tigran is our resident previews writer. He works on collecting everything known about upcoming Netflix Original projects and also is editor-in-chief of Redanian Intelligence. Resides in France.

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The 7 best new movies and shows to stream this weekend

From Jedi to kaiju, here's what to watch this weekend

As another week draws to a close, we're back with some new streaming recommendations to see you through the weekend. It's a good week for TV, too, with several new and returning shows gracing our screens. Star Wars is back on the small screen with The Acolyte on Disney Plus, while fantasy series Sweet Tooth is back for a third and final season on Netflix and Jeremy Renner-led thriller Mayor of Kingstown returns to Paramount Plus.

As for movies, Glen Powell and Godzilla both have new offerings on Netflix: the former stars in Hit Man , a new action rom-com from Boyhood director Richard Linklater, while the latter is in last year's hit kaiju movie Godzilla Minus One . Meanwhile, US audiences can catch Wim Wenders' poignant new drama Perfect Days on Hulu and Knives Out director Rian Johnson's debut feature Brick on Prime Video.

The Acolyte

Available: Worldwide Watch now: Disney Plus

Ready to return to the galaxy far, far away? New Star Wars show The Acolyte is now streaming on Disney Plus, taking us into a world of shadows and crime in the High Republic . Set 100 years before The Phantom Menace , the show centers around a former Padawan ( The Hunger Games ' Amandla Stenberg) as she reunites with her Jedi Master (Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae) and tries to come to terms with her past. The cast also includes The Matrix's Carrie-Anne Moss, The Good Place's Manny Jacinto, and His Dark Materials' Dafne Keen. 

Available: Worldwide Watch now: Netflix

Richard Linklater's latest movie, Hit Man, is now streaming on Netflix after a brief theatrical window. Top Gun: Maverick 's Glen Powell stars as Gary, a college professor who moonlights as a fake hit man for the New Orleans Police Department – he goes undercover with the aim of arresting those who try to hire him. However, things get a little complicated when he becomes romantically entangled with a would-be client (Adria Arjona)... Powell also co-wrote the movie with Linklater.

Read our interview with Linklater about the new movie here .

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Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Godzilla Minus One

Last year's best monster movie has come crashing onto Netflix. Set in post-war Japan, Godzilla Minus One follows former kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) who, plagued by survivor's guilt, ends up fighting against Godzilla with the crew of the mine removal ship where he makes his living. As well as being a hit with critics and at the box office (both in Japan and internationally), the movie won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at this year's ceremony , the first movie not in the English language to take home the award.

Mayor of Kingstown season 3

Available: Worldwide Watch now: Paramount Plus

Jeremy Renner is back for another season of Mayor of Kingstown. Set in a fictional company town where everything revolves around the local prison, Renner plays Mike McLusky, a former inmate and the head of the family in charge. In season 3, the town is rocked by a series of explosions and a drug war, and the pressure is on Mike to keep the peace, but his life gets decidedly trickier when a figure from his past reappears. 

Sweet Tooth season 3

Available : Worldwide Watch now: Netflix

Sweet Tooth returns for a third and final season. The show, executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., takes place in a version of the future where a virus has wiped out most of humanity and hybrid babies are born with animal body parts. Gus ( Cocaine Bear 's Christian Convery), a part-deer hybrid, is still on the hunt for his mother with his pals in tow, but a new threat emerges that threatens to derail their plans. Star Wars' Kelly Marie Tran joins the cast for season 3.

Perfect Days

Available: US Watch now: Hulu

The latest movie from Paris, Texas and Wings of Desire director Wim Wenders sees the German filmmaker set his sights on Japan. Perfect Days follows Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho), a reclusive public toilet cleaner in Tokyo whose peaceful but solitary life of routine is disrupted by a series of unexpected encounters. Yakusho won the Best Actor award at Cannes Film Festival for his subtle, heartbreaking performance and the film was nominated for Best Internation Feature at the Oscars.

Available: US Watch now: Prime Video

While we wait for Rian Johnson's next Knives Out movie to hit our screens next year , take a trip down memory lane with his debut feature Brick. Released in 2005, the mystery thriller stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as teenager Brendan Frye, who's investigating the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Emily (Lost's Emilie de Ravin) in the California suburbs. His search takes him into the underworld of a high school crime ring, paying homage to hard-boiled detective story tropes and dialogue.

If there's nothing here that tickles your fancy, then you might have to start looking into each streaming service's back catalogue, which can be a daunting task given how many titles they each host. Fear not, though... if you're a TV fan, then we've got you covered with our lists of the best Netflix shows , best Disney Plus shows , and the best Amazon Prime Video shows .

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. 

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The Lincoln Lawyer: Season 1 Reviews

It’s all entertainingly diverting, even if the series lacks the kind of existential bleakness, the self-conscious humourlessness...

Full Review | Jul 29, 2023

It’s a riveting, impressive new take on Michael Connelly’s novels that’s worth watching whether you’ve read them or not.

Full Review | Jul 23, 2023

Developed by prolific producer David E. Kelley, <i>The Lincoln Lawyer</i> does build some steam as it goes, but the flow of the story too closely resembles the weekly procedural format that was pitched to CBS.

Full Review | Sep 16, 2022

…the details are persuasive, the mystery is satisfying; it might not have the hyped-pedigree of other shows, but The Lincoln Lawyer gets the job done, and in 2022, justice matters…

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 23, 2022

For all its flaws, the sheer meticulous construction of The Lincoln Lawyer is genuinely impressive.

Full Review | Jul 21, 2022

Though the set-up is familiar and the dialogue is shopworn, The Lincoln Lawyer still works. It delivers likable characters who are easy to root for as they stand up for the unfairly accused.

There is nothing particularly novel about the series and its execution, but The Lincoln Lawyer will still effectively deliver your fix of suspenseful legal drama...

Full Review | Jun 10, 2022

There's nothing too extraordinary about the series -- it's pretty standard fare. But as far as "standard" goes, it's entertaining and light enough to keep you coming back...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 2, 2022

Not quite up to "Bosch" level of entertainment yet but getting there fast.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | May 29, 2022

Garcia-Rulfo had a hard act to follow given Matthew McConaughey’s performance in the movie, and at first the newcomer seems too young, too smooth, too handsome to be the ducking and diving Haller. He grows on you, though.

Full Review | May 27, 2022

Punchy in its writing and crunchy in its casting, The Lincoln Lawyer is irresistibly entertaining, a Perry Mason for our time.

The Lincoln Lawyer is fine, but it's nothing special.

Full Review | May 23, 2022

It all makes for a remarkably easy series to binge and, despite the much better shows on television right now, Lincoln Lawyer has a certain Bosch-like feel that makes it ideal weekend viewing.

It’s not quite as rich as the other new Connelly show Bosch: Legacy, but it’s a solid courtroom drama/detective show -- the closest thing streaming has to Law & Order.

Full Review | May 20, 2022

Although the writing is crisp and the storyline intriguing, Lincoln Lawyer doesn’t quite reach the heights of The Practice, Boston Legal or The Good Wife.

Full Review | May 19, 2022

Brings high doses of suspense and crime to an intriguing narrative framework. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | May 17, 2022

It’s pretty good and frequently satisfying. That’s more than I can say about a lot of television.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | May 17, 2022

The brisk writing and pace keep it engaging, and it’s certainly more fun than getting called in for jury duty.

Full Review | May 17, 2022

No objection here if Netflix wants to provide a well-acted throwback series complete with likable anti-heroes and colorful suspects.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | May 14, 2022

Sure, there's always a hard edge underlying these frothier elements -- this is ex-L.A. Times crime reporter Michael Connelly's Los Angeles, after all -- but aesthetically, it's those frothier bits in The Lincoln Lawyer that rise to the top.

Full Review | Original Score: 8.5/10 | May 13, 2022

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Florida sheriff’s office fires deputy who fatally shot airman at home

A lawyer for the family of Roger Fortson said Thursday that the bodycam footage and police radio traffic from right after the shooting reinforce their assertion that the deputy was directed to the wrong apartment.

A Florida sheriff released body camera video Thursday showing a deputy outside an apartment door and firing immediately when it was opened by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson carrying a handgun pointed downward. (AP produced by Javier Arciga)

FILE - Chantemekki Fortson, mother of Roger Fortson, a U.S. Air Force senior airman, holds a photo of her son during a news conference with attorney Ben Crump, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. A Florida sheriff fired a deputy who fatally shot a Black airman who was standing in his doorway while holding a handgun pointed to the ground. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, file)

• Copy Link copied

FILE - Chantemekki Fortson the mother of slain airman Roger Fortson, right, along with family watch Fortson’s casket as they leave for a cemetery during his funeral at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Stonecrest, Ga. A Florida sheriff fired a deputy who fatally shot a Black airman who was standing in his doorway while holding a handgun pointed to the ground. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, file)

FILE - This photo provided by the U.S. Air Force, shows Senior Airman Roger Fortson in a Dec. 24, 2019, photo. (U.S. Air Force via AP, File)

Airman Roger Fortson’s casket is carried during the interment for Fortson at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

A Florida Panhandle sheriff on Friday fired a deputy who fatally shot an airman at his home while holding a handgun pointed to the ground, saying the deputy’s life was never in danger and he should not have fired his weapon.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden fired Deputy Eddie Duran, who fatally shot Senior Airman Roger Fortson on May 3 after responding to a domestic violence call and being directed to Fortson’s apartment.

Duran shot Fortson, 23, multiple times two seconds after he opened his door. Fortson was holding his legally owned gun in his right hand, body camera video shows. It was pointed directly at the ground. Fortson was Black. Duran, 39, listed himself as Hispanic on his voter registration.

A sheriff’s internal affairs investigation released Friday concluded that, “Mr. Fortson did not make any hostile, attacking movements, and therefore, the former deputy’s use of deadly force was not objectively reasonable.” Outside law enforcement experts have also said that an officer cannot shoot only because a possible suspect is holding a gun if there is no threat.

“This tragic incident should have never occurred,” Aden said in the statement. “The objective facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson’s actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. By all accounts, he was an exceptional airman and individual.”

No criminal charges have been filed, but a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation is ongoing.

Duran did not return a voicemail left at a number listed to him. Email and phone messages seeking comment from his attorney John Whitaker were not immediately returned.

According to the internal affairs report, Duran told investigators that when Fortson opened the door, he saw aggression in the airman’s eyes. He said he fired because, “I’m standing there thinking I’m about to get shot, I’m about to die.”

“It is him or me at this point and I need to, I need to act as opposed to react,” he told investigators.

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Fortson’s family, said in a statement that Duran’s firing “is a step forward, but it is not full justice for Roger and his family.”

“The actions of this deputy were not just negligent, they were criminal,” Crump said.

Sabu Williams, president of the Okaloosa County NAACP, applauded Aden’s action.

“We appreciate what the internal investigation has shown and what the sheriff has done to this point,” Williams told The Associated Press. “We don’t think this is the end of it, obviously.”

He said the NAACP has a good relationship with the Republican sheriff.

“Some of us may have wanted things to happen a lot quicker, but I know due diligence has to take place,” Williams said.

Duran is a law enforcement veteran, his career beginning as a military police officer in the Army. He was hired by an Oklahoma police department in 2015 after his military discharge. He Joined the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office in July 2019, but resigned two years later. He rejoined the sheriff’s office 11 months ago.

The apartment complex where Fortson lived is about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from Hurlburt Field, where Fortson was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron as a special missions aviator serving on an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. One of his roles was to load the plane’s 30mm and 105mm cannons during battles. He earned an Air Medal with combat device, which is typically awarded after 20 flights in a combat zone or for conspicuous valor or achievement on a single mission.

The events leading to the shooting began shortly after 4 p.m. on May 3 when a tenant who lived near Fortson in Fort Walton Beach’s Elan Apartments called the management office to say she heard what sounded like an argument coming from his apartment.

The woman, whose name has not been released, told investigators after the shooting she believed Fortson was in a relationship because she often heard a woman’s voice coming from the apartment. She said she had heard previous arguments, but none like the one that Friday afternoon.

“Before it was just, usually banter back and forth,” she told investigators. “Nothing was ever to the extent it was on (May 3).” She also thought a child was present.

But Fortson, who had no criminal record, lived alone and had no guests that afternoon. He was on a video call with his girlfriend, who told investigators they had not been arguing. She said Fortson was playing a video game.

An apartment complex manager called the sheriff’s office at 4:24 p.m. and Duran arrived three minutes later. He met the manager in the parking lot and she directed him to Fortson’s fourth-floor apartment, telling him there are frequent arguments, body camera video shows.

However, 911 records show deputies had never been called to Fortson’s apartment previously but they had been called to a nearby unit 10 times in the previous eight months, including once for a domestic disturbance.

When Duran arrived outside Fortson’s door, he stood silently for 20 seconds outside and listened, but no voices inside are heard on his body camera.

He then pounded on the door, but didn’t identify himself. He then moved to the side of the door, about 5 feet away (1.5 meters). He told investigators he feared that the person inside might fire through the door or open the door and push him over the rail and to the ground about 40 feet (12 meters) below.

He waited 15 seconds before pounding on the door again. This time he yelled, “Sheriff’s office — open the door!” He again moved to the side. A muffled voice can be heard on the video — Duran said he heard someone cursing at the police.

Less then 10 seconds later, Duran moved back in front of the door and pounded again, announcing himself once more.

Fortson’s girlfriend told investigators that the airman asked who was there but did not get a response. She said Fortson told her he was not going to answer the door because no one comes to his apartment. She said neither of them heard the deputy yell that he was with the sheriff’s office.

After the third knock, she said Fortson told her, “I’m gonna go grab my gun because I don’t know who that is.”

When Fortson opened the door holding his gun, Duran said “Step back,” and then immediately began firing . Fortson fell backward onto the floor.

Only then did the deputy yell, “Drop the gun!”

Fortson replied, “It’s over there.”

The deputy called for paramedics, but Fortson died a short time later at the hospital.

When other deputies arrived, Duran walked into the breezeway outside the unit and struck a wall with his right fist, the internal affairs report said.

“F-—,” he yelled.

___ Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. AP writers Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale, David Fischer in Miami and Jeff Martin in Atlanta contributed to this report.