Fracture (2007) DVD (Just For The Hell Of It)

Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) murders his wife upon discovering she is having an affair, then, after phoning the police to tell them what he has done, waits for them to arrive.

A vengeful husband, found at the scene of his wife’s murder, a murder to which he has willingly confessed. Surely, it should be a simple open and shut case?

So why can’t the young and successful prosecutor William Beachum (Ryan Gosling) manage to get all the obvious evidence to stick?

Gosling is in disbelief when Hopkins can't stop doing Hannibal Lecter lines.

Instead, the charismatic Crawford, acting as his own lawyer and showing unnerving knowledge of the law and its processes, skillfully manipulates the justice system to get away with the crime.

As Crawford escapes a murder sentence, a frustrated Beachum engages him in a dangerous game of legal and mental wits, one that could end up having higher stakes then Beachum can afford to gamble with.

This is a great film, with commanding performances from the two leads. Hopkins, as per usual, is an acting powerhouse as the intellectual murderer Ted Crawford, a character which has more then a whiff of Hannibal Lector about him at times. The games of intellectual chess Crawford plays are handled with just the right amount of scenery munching, allowing Hopkins’ younger co-star to shine through.

Ryan Gosling, who I’d previously only seen in the entertaining Murder By Numbers, also about trying to achieve the perfect murder, really steps up to the mark and holds his own opposite Hopkins, who could easily have stolen the film, as he often does for me.

I really recommend this film. As an example of how a more experienced actor can elevate another, it is second to none. Hopkins’ Ted Crawford is perfectly acted as the counterpart to Gosling’s initially cocky Beachum, and each sly look and comment delivered with Hopkins’ matured talents allows Gosling to demonstrate his own not inconsiderable skills.

Though I’m not particularly a fan of legal dramas, Hopkins and Gosling were enough to persuade me to give Fracture a go, and I’m glad I did. I think you wouldn’t regret giving it a watch either.