Genre: Thriller
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, David Strathairn, Billy Burke, Rosamund Pike
RunTime: -
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: TBA

Opening Day: 19 April 2007

Synopsis :

When Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) discovers that his beautiful younger wife, Jennifer (Embeth Davidtz), is having an affair, he plans her murder…the perfect murder. Among the cops arriving at the crime scene is hostage negotiator Detective Rob Nunally (Billy Burke), the only officer permitted entry to the house. Surprisingly, Crawford readily admits to shooting his wife, but Nunally is too stunned to pay close attention when he recognizes his lover, whose true identity he never knew, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Although Jennifer was shot at point blank range, Nunally realizes she isn’t dead. Crawford is immediately arrested and arraigned after confessing – a seemingly slam-dunk case for hot shot assistant district attorney Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling), who has one foot out the door of the District Attorney’s (David Strathairn) office on his way to a lucrative job in high-stakes corporate law.

But nothing is as simple as it seems, including this case. Will the lure of power and a love affair with a sexy, ambitious attorney (Rosamund Pike) at his new firm overpower Willy’s fierce drive to win, or worse, quash his code of ethics? In a tense duel of intellect and strategy, Crawford and Willy both learn that a “fracture” can be found in every ostensibly perfect façade.

Movie Review:

It’s always a delight to watch Sir Anthony Hopkins in the devilish intellectual roles who is up to some diabolical schemes in the most charming and gentlemen ways. Of course that role would be Hannibal Lector that Sir Anthony Hopkins made famous and in Fracture, it seems that he is reprising a similar role in a different setting. He plays Ted Crawford, a rich, classy middle age guy who just shot his wife, confesses to his crime and as the trailer revealed, he is going to get away with his wits.

Playing against him is rising star and recent Best Oscar Actor Nominee, Ryan Gosling, as a assistant district attorney Willy Beachum who is moving onto a bigger paycheck in a prestigious law film. Assuming that it was going to be an open and shut case, Willy took on Ted’s case and only found out much later that the case was much more complicated that it seems. The sudden change in this court case does not only mean that Ted Crawford is getting away with crime, there a high chance that it will be costing Willy’s new job and even the old job. With pressure setting in, will Willy uncover Ted’s devious plan in time to stop his acquittal or will Ted apply enough pressure to crack Willy’s fracture point?

Although Sir Anthony Hopkins is the star with the top billing, Fracture seems more like a vehicle for Ryan Gosling to impress with his acting chops. Halfway through the movie, Anthony Hopkins disappeared like his character into prison, leaving Ryan Gosling to carry the bulk of the movie. While Ryan Gosling was adequate in his role as the cocky assistant district attorney, he was less endearing when his role took a change in character when he became more altruistic to the victim’s plight.

It also doesn’t help that the story took a drag in the middle portion after the plot setup, which was seen in the trailer had set the movie in motion. As a thriller, this movie only have one major unfulfilling revelation in the end and the process of getting there was filled with unbelievable bonding between characters and lackluster attempts in discovering the trick that was up on Ted Crawford’s mind. Instead of showing any intelligent moves in uncovering Ted’s methods for his crime, it was wasted in unproductive and unnecessary mucking around.

Fracture as Ted Crawford explained to Willy Beachum, exist in everyone and once pressure is apply correctly to that individual’s weakness, it’s easy to push the person over his or her breaking point. It’s a pity that these events were scattered all over this movie and didn’t make a strong representation or impression of the film title at all. However, it definitely found my fracture point during the long and rather unnecessary second half.

Movie Rating:

(Fracture is a one trick wonder that overstretch it’s second act and the revelation was nowhere near remarkable)

Review by Richard Lim Jr