zkonedog

By the nuts-and-bolts of Primal Fear, it is a legal thriller through and through--complete with every trope that genre has to offer (for better or worse). What makes this one stand out above a large pack of similar 1990s fare is the tremendous acting performances it contains.

For a very basic overview, Primal Fear tells the story of Martin Vail (Richard Gere), Chicago's hotshot lawyer who takes a high-profile case regarding altar boy Aaron (Edward Norton) accused of murdering a leader of the Catholic Church. Arguing against off-and-on love interest Janet Venable (Laura Linney), Vail begins to defend Aaron in an emotional manner that is usually not his style.

There are reasonably long stretches of Primal Fear that seem like a standard, paint-by-numbers legal thriller. There are wild plot contrivances, big reveals, and director Gregory Hoblit utilizes every trick of that trade. Acting aside, this is a 6 (maybe 7) star story.

But you certainly cannot put acting to the side in Primal Fear. Gere and Linney are great. They may not have the most chemistry with each other (a legitimate problem that lowers the film's ultimate ceiling), but on their own they are lead-worthy. It helps to be supported by the likes of John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, Terry O'Quinn, Andre Braugher, and Maura Tierney. Truly a who's who of Hollywood acting prowess.

And I haven't even mentioned the most compelling piece of Primal Fear's cast--that being Edward Norton in (remarkably!) his first big screen role. I won't spoil his character's ultimate resolution, but suffice it to say that Norton gives the performance of a lifetime even being such a newbie. This movie is worth a watch simply for Norton alone.

So, though overall a pretty straightforward "legal beagle" with the genre's inherent drawbacks, Primal Fear is up near the top of that list--at least in the 1990s--for its incredibly deep cast and standout performances from Norton, Gere, & Linney.