The Lincoln Lawyer

The Lincoln Lawyer tells an engaging story about the American legal system and the ethics within it. A criminal defense lawyer, Mick Haller, finds himself increasingly at odds with his new client, a young man accused of murder. Haller, who works out of his car, earning the movie it's name, begins to suspect that his client is not innocent of the crime as he first appeared. Instead, Haller becomes convinced that this young man, Louis Roulet, committed not only the murder he is currently on trial for, but another murder that Haller encountered earlier in his career, which put another man on death row. The relationship between client and lawyer becomes increasingly tense, as Haller struggles to find the facts and deal with the ramifications of what Roulet has done. The film continues to ratchet up the level of suspense, keeping the audience hooked and breathless, unsure if justice will prevail. The film uses a tense and difficult problem to explore human greed and avarice, as well as the concepts of professional ethics and justice. An overarching tension of the film is Haller's seeming inability to enact justice, despite that being the purpose of his profession. Haller struggles with his professional ethics, which would require he set a guilty man free, and his sense of justice, which lead him to search for the truth of the murders and attempt to expose and punish a murderer. The film also explores the issue of class in this justice system. Roulet is seemingly untouchable, because of his wealth and his family's influence. This tense film demonstrates Roulet's belief that he is above the law because of the power afforded to him by his wealth and station in life. And yet despite those factors, Haller seeks justice anyway. The tension between these two characters creates an exciting film that explores major issues of justice and the legal system.