Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) is on trial for the attempted murder of his wife. We have no doubt over his guilt, as we saw him shoot her in the head at the beginning of "Fracture," and he signed a confession afterwards. Nonetheless, things start going wrong in court. The gun Ted was arrested with turns out to be the wrong one. The arresting officer turns out to have been sleeping with Ted’s wife. And no matter what occurs, the suspect, acting as his own attorney, seems to be several steps ahead of everyone else.
"Fracture" is an unusual courtroom thriller, since we’re not waiting to see who committed the crime, but how the hell they’re getting away with it. Traditionally, these sort of movies provide us with bitter arguments on the witness stand, colorful judges, and minute-too-long verdict readings. This film touches on those staples of the courtroom thriller, but is more interested in a battle of minds and wills.
Ryan Gosling plays Willy Beachum, an assistant DA with a 97 percent conviction rate assigned to prosecute Ted. The assignment comes right as Willy has one foot out the door of public service and one into the much better paid arena of corporate law, not to mention the bedroom of his hot new boss (Rosamund Pike). This last case should be a slam-dunk, considering the killer’s signed confession and boatloads of evidence. When it becomes apparent that his competition is smarter and better prepared, Willy puts the coveted new job on hold in order to deliver Ted into the firm hands of justice.
Anthony Hopkins may have been the perfect choice for Ted. He’s the sort of actor who has long since proven to possess a mastery of his craft, and now selects his projects for the money, and perhaps the fun. Here, Hopkins injects so much life into the role I can’t imagine that he didn’t have a chuckle or two on set. Ted’s clever displays, confident taunting, and impeccable legal maneuvering at times make him likeable, but Hopkins skillfully doesn’t allow us to forget that he’s a villain with a large karmic bill coming his way.
Acting side-by-side with Hopkins without paling in comparison can’t be an easy task, but Gosling more than holds his own. His prosecutor, though smirky and arrogant, acts more like a real human being than the typical movie lawyer who screams his objections and angrily makes passionate appeals to whomever will listen. I suspect that many actors would play Willy with a much louder and more forceful bent. Gosling’s calm and tact is better; he does superior work here than he did in "Half Nelson," which secured him an Oscar nomination. Comparisons to Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson are premature, but Gosling’s talent shines without doubt.
Casting is key here. Though the plot appears fascinating at first, it’s undeniably glossy, lacking substance. The "who" and the "how" may be covered, but the "why" receives no attention. I can believe that Ted shot his wife out of anger over her marital infidelity, but would a man this brilliant and methodical cut her down for that alone? Would Willy actually go to the lengths his does to put Ted away without crossing his own line? The film wants us to assume that the protagonist and antagonist act how they do simply because they occupy their particular positions in the film’s universe.
Then again, the "why" is something many audience members would feel best left to the criminal lawyers. With a decent plot, solid direction, and two great performances, when it comes to making a very entertaining thriller, "Fracture" gets the "how" part right.
3.5 out of 5
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