A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Fracture

Date Viewed: 4/28/07

Details:

Anthony Hopkins

Ryan Gosling

David Strathairn

Rosamund Pike

Embeth Davidtz

Billy Burke

Director: Gregory Hoblit

Score: +

The Review: A curious whodunit puzzle buried in a Gen-X view of the legal profession.

Smart, creepy (and apparently rich) aerospace engineer Ted Crawford (Hopkins) has attempted to murder his wife (Davidtz) after discovering her adultery. But even with a confession, assistant prosecutor Willy Beachum (Gosling) discovers that he's up against a very clever antagonist. It doesn't help that Beachum is distracted by his pursuit of a fast-track position in a high-profile law firm, or by his girlfriend (Pike), also in the same law firm.

A problem with the evidence leads to a clever crux, and his character is asking all the right questions -- but Ryan Gosling has to learn how to act by means other than raising his eyebrows occasionally. He comes across as a goofball with a penchant for the jugular, a bit of Southern good ol' boy with a (possibly) exaggerated sense of his own self-worth -- but Hopkin's character, and even Beachum's boss (the rarely seen Strathairn), are much more interesting to watch.

(28-Apr-07)

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