Primal Fear

I was ready for this to be a good one, I've always been fascinated by the work of Edward Norton, even though I can't think of a single film with Richard Gere that I enjoyed, I had hopes that this psychologicalÊ thriller would have bite.

Norton, in his first screen role, is effective enough but it's not a likable character, not even in the sense of being so bad he's good. He wimps and limps through most of this film but it was enough to earn him an Oscar nomination and kick off his amazing career so take that for what it's worth.

I don't want to give away the surprise ending but I might as well as it was so predictable I wouldn't have imagined the filmmakers would have gone there. And Richard Gere is his usual bland self, looking fine but providing absolutely no weight to this trifling characterization.

The story, preposterous as it is, concerns at high powered San Franscico attorney (Gere) who, in an act of inexplicable altruism, decides to defend a penniless altar boy (Norton) caught dead to rights murdering an archbishop.

The always wonderful Frances McDermott delivers another first class performance but it's wasted on the pure drivel she's given to do.

One of the weakest films I've seen in a long time, possibly worth a look for diehard fans of Edward Norton.

This DVD comes with lots of special features - a commentary with the director and other behind the lensers, along with mini-documentaries on Edward Norton and various aspects of the making of the film.

Product Description: A high-profile slaying becomes the case of an ambitious attorney's career in this legal thriller based on the novel by William Diehl. Richard Gere stars as Martin Vail, a famed defense lawyer who volunteers his services to Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), a Kentucky teenager charged with the murder of a Chicago archbishop. Covered with blood, Aaron was captured after a foot chase broadcast live on TV, making a gleeful Vail certain that he could raise his profile by defending the obviously guilty suspect. Assigned to prosecute is Assistant District Attorney Janet Venable (Laura Linney), who is Vail's ex-girlfriend. Vail's case becomes more complicated than he expected when a psychologist, Dr. Molly Arrington (Frances McDormand) concludes that Stampler suffers from multiple personality disorder. Vail also uncovers evidence that the archbishop was involved in a corrupt land scheme and may have molested young parishioners. Now the cynical, opportunistic attorney is faced with a daunting prospect, a client who may actually deserve his best defense. Its shocking, twist ending made Primal Fear (1996) a big box office hit and earned Norton, in his screen debut, an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.