Primal Fear

 Year:  1996

Director:  Gregory Hoblit

Screenplay:  Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, based on the novel Primal Fear by William Diehl

Starring:  Richard Gere, Edward Norton, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand

Running Time:  130 minutes

Genre:  Thriller 

Chicago:  A beloved archbishop is brutally murdered in his apartment.  Shy, polite 19 year old altar boy Aaron Stampler (Norton) is found covered in blood, fleeing the crime scene, and is arrested for the murder.  Given the evidence and the lack of any other suspects, a conviction seems a certainty.  Ambitious, arrogant defence attorney Martin Vail (Gere) decides to defend Aaron, and becomes increasing convinced of his innocence. As he digs into the case to find evidence, Vail discovers some dark secrets.

This courtroom thriller, based on a 1993 novel by author William Diehl, is a genuinely gripping mystery, and elevated by strong performances and well-rounded characters.  Richard Gere is ideally cast as the slick, arrogant and often quite unlikeable lawyer, who nevertheless is redeemed by his strong belief in justice.  Edward Norton, in his film debut, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting  Actor for his intense performance as the tormented, stammering Aaron Stampler, who spends most of the film either in the courtroom or in a jail cell, verbally sparring with Gere or Frances McDormand, who plays a psychiatrist sent to analyse him.  Laura Linney really elevates what could be a one-note role as the attorney for the prosecution, who has a history with Vail.  Some of the various plot twists probably won't surprise many mystery aficionados, but the story moves along well, and there is plenty of real tension.  Director Gregory Hoblit, a veteran of TV dramas such as Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and NYPD Blue, as well as the notorious '80s police musical Cop Rock, directs with style and keeps the plot moving along, even while the narrative diverges into more conspiratorial elements.  The script is clever with some sharp, witty dialogue.  

 Edward Norton and Richard Gere in Primal Fear

The Truman Show

Year of Release:  1998
Director:  Peter Weir
Screenplay:  Andrew Niccol
Starring:  Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Ed Harris
Running Time:  103 minutes
Genre:  Science-fiction, comedy, drama

Truman Burbank (Carrey) lives a contended life with his wife Meryl (Linney), in a seemingly idyllic coastal town of Seahaven Island.  However Truman begins to suspect that something is very strange.  A spotlight falls from the sky, almost hitting him.  A homeless man bears a striking resemblance to his father who died 22 years earlier, and is quickly hustled away by seemingly random passers-by.  His car radio picks up a strange transmission that seems to describe his exact movements, and rain falls only on him.  Added to that the odd behaviour of his family, friends and neighbours.  In reality, Truman Burbank is the unwitting star of the world's top-rated television show.  Since birth he has lived his life in a vast set, and everyone he encounters is an actor playing a role.  Every minute of Truman's life is orchestrated by the show's creator and executive producer Christof (Harris) and broadcast live around the world twenty-four hours a day.

This is an enjoyable and intriguing film, which is surprisingly prophetic, foreseeing the explosion in so-called "reality" television.  While the film isn't very funny, it is enjoyable and very clever, managing to marry entertainment and big ideas.  The film is very stylish, imagining the look of Truman's world as a bright, all-American "white picket fence" small town, with Christof's control room hidden in the Moon.  Jim Carrey gives a charismatic performance in what was really his first major dramatic role, Laura Linney plays the actor playing the part of Meryl, hiding her true feelings behind a huge fake smile, and cheery demeanor which occasionally slips, also of note is Ed Harris who seems to be channeling Steve Jobs as the sinister Christof.  While the story mostly takes place in Truman's world, as he slowly begins to understand the nature of his reality, it is interspersed with sequences in the show's control room, and the reactions of the viewing public.  The film tackles some big themes such as the nature of reality, identity and media manipulation.

Jim Carrey in The Truman Show