Mick Haller (Matthew McConaughey) is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Continental sedan. Having spent most of his career defending petty gutter-variety criminals, he unexpectedly lands the case of a lifetime: defending a rich Beverly Hills realtor (Ryan Phillippe) who is accused of attempted rape and murder. However, what appears in the beginning to be a straightforward case with a big money pay-off swiftly develops into a deadly match between two masters of manipulation, in Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.”
Directed by Brad Furman from a screenplay by John Romano, based on the novel by Michael Connelly, the cast also includes Marisa Tomei, Josh Lucas, John Leguizamo, Frances Fisher, Bob Gunton, Laurence Mason, with Bryan Cranston and William H. Macy. Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment present a Lakeshore Entertainment Lionsgate production in association with Sidney Kimmel Entertainment Stone Village Pictures.
About the Production
Lawyers and the vagaries of the justice system have long been a staple of the big screen, but audiences have never seen a lawyer quite like Michael “Mick Haller in Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment’s THE LINCOLN LAWYER. A streetwise defense attorney, Mick Haller has no office – instead, he works out of the backseat of a chauffeured Lincoln Continental, driving from one Los Angeles court house to another to defend various petty criminals who’ve run afoul of the justice system.
“Many people would likely consider Mick an ambulance chaser, a guy who’s a bottom feeder, admits actor Matthew McConaughey, who stars as Mick Haller. “He’s a guy who’s financially living from month to month, trying to support his ex-wife and his daughter, and defending people like prostitutes or someone busted on a drug charge, and a lot of smaller crimes.
“Mick’s a wheeler-dealer type, says producer Gary Lucchesi. “Ninety percent of his cases plead out. He makes a deal and gets out.
And he is always on the move, which is why the Lincoln Continental serves as the ideal mobile office. Explains producer Tom Rosenberg, “He has five or six cases going at once and they’re all spread out across the county, which is geographically pretty wide. The best way for him to get from courtroom to courtroom is to be driven.”
But despite his frequent back-room dealings, Mick also has his own code of ethics, and he believes in helping the downtrodden who have no one else on their side. Says McConaughey, “The truth is, Mick might have been a Beverly Hills entertainment lawyer and succeeded, but the guy’s got a lot of heart and humanity and that’s why I think he stayed with the bottom level criminals. It’s where he feels the most needed, where he feels the most humane and it’s where he’s comfortable. Mick’s been consistent with who he is from the beginning.
Mick’s client base of poor criminals doesn’t earn him much, so when he agrees to defend Louis Roulet, a wealthy young man charged with attempted rape and murder, Haller does it only for the promise of a quick resolution and some easy money. But when the case unexpectedly goes to trial, Mick is forced into the most challenging – and dangerous – predicament of his career. “Mick finds out that Louis Roulet might actually not only be guilty of the crime he’s charged for, but he’s also guilty of the rape and murder of another woman four years ago, explains McConaughey. “The caveat there is that Mick defended the guy who ended up getting wrongly convicted of that four-year-old crime.
Mick is determined to correct his mistake and free his innocent former client from jail, but the client-attorney privilege prevents him from using any evidence against Roulet, even if he has absolute proof of his guilt. Mick finds himself caught between two clients – one who’s serving the sentence for a crime committed by the other – and one wrong move will cost him his license forever. “For the first time, the consequences of this dance that Mick does with the justice system are personal, says McConaughey. “Everything – his integrity, his livelihood – is at stake.
Best-selling mystery/thriller novelist Michael Connelly, who wrote the book on which THE LINCOLN LAWYER is based, first conceived of the story while talking with a neighboring fan at a Dodgers baseball game in Los Angeles. “He was a lawyer and I asked him where his office was and he said, ‘Actually, I work out of my car,’ recalls Connelly. “I went on watching the game, and by the time it was over, I felt strongly that, based on our conversation, I had a whole book and a character that could go the distance.
Before Connelly’s book was published, the manuscript was sent to noted film producers Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi, partners in Lakeshore Entertainment. Rosenberg and Lucchesi read the galleys and were immediately attracted to the story for separate, personal reasons. Rosenberg, who did criminal defense work as an attorney, related to the character of Mick Haller from a legal point of view. While Lucchesi, who produced PRIMAL FEAR early in his Hollywood career, had been looking to make another film about a smart, irascible, tough-guy lawyer.
“We haven’t seen a lawyer like Mick Haller on screen before, Rosenberg says. “When you’re a criminal lawyer almost all of your clients are guilty. If they’re not guilty of the crime for which you’re defending them, they’re probably guilty of other crimes. That’s just the nature of things. And Mick Haller, as an attorney, is as smart as they come.
As soon as the producers acquired the rights to the novel, they set out to find the ideal screenwriter to adapt the material for a feature film. “Although we considered various writers, we had worked with John Romano on a successful adaptation of another book, Lucchesi says. “John has a great reputation and a long resume of feature film and television projects to his credit, and we knew that he had the right sensibilities to bring this character and story to the screen. He delivered an amazing script to us, and one that Michael Connelly was very happy with, too. When you have a well known author like Michael Connelly you obviously want him to like the product that you’re creating from his original work.
Next, the producers approached the actor who seemed tailor made to play Mick Haller: Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey, who had played an attorney in his first major film role, A TIME TO KILL, recalls, “I had read an early version of the script and when Tom and Gary came to me with an offer, I eagerly accepted.
Says Lucchesi, “Matthew has always been one of my favorite actors, and this role is perfect for him. We get to see him play all those qualities that made him a star to begin with: a confident guy with a bit of swagger and loads of charm.
“We’d always thought Matthew excelled in dramatic roles and this was an opportunity for him – after doing a lot of comedies – to take on a weightier role again, adds Rosenberg.
For McConaughey, the role of Mick Haller was a natural fit, partly because it recalled the actor’s early career ambitions. “When I was in college at the University of Texas, I was going to be a criminal defense lawyer, he says. “For the film I tried to understand all the details of being a defense lawyer. I had a lot of questions for different lawyers about the technical aspects: what’s the reality of this situation, how would this go down? Where did I get this information? If my private investigator got bad information, how did he get it?
Finding the right director to bring THE LINCOLN LAWYER to the screen turned out to be a long process, and it was ultimately McConaughey who suggested that the producers consider director Brad Furman for the job. Recalls McConaughey, “After I accepted the offer to play Mick Haller, we went on a director hunt. I had met Brad Furman for another project that I have at my production company and we clicked.
Furman had previously directed the feature, THE TAKE, which McConaughey says, “Captures L.A. wonderfully. The actor adds, “Brad really understands the street aspect of THE LINCOLN LAWYER. He understands how the justice system works, and the injustice inherent in it, too.
Says Lucchesi. “We spent some time with Brad and then we called up Matthew and said, ‘We really like your guy.’ The next thing you know, we committed to Brad and started to make the film.
Furman particularly appreciated the script’s complexity and intelligence as well as the vibrant cast of characters that Romano and Connelly had created. “It’s a bit of a throwback to what I believe great films and classic filmmaking are, says the director. “It was exactly the type of film that I was searching for. And both of my parents, and my grandfather too, are attorneys, so I know that world well.
For the pivotal role of Louis Roulet, the filmmakers auditioned a number of actors before offering the role to the much-lauded Ryan Phillippe. Says Lucchesi, “This film is very much a two hander and a big part of the satisfaction of this film is seeing two great performances. If the villain doesn’t work, the hero isn’t as good, so Ryan and Matthew were really mano a mano in this.
“I had cast Ryan in a movie some years ago and he was great in it, reports Rosenberg. “I’d kept track of him and his career and when his agent called to say that he wanted to audition for the role of Roulet, we were excited.
“Louis Roulet is unlike anything I’ve played before, explains Phillippe. “I was drawn to the idea of playing this guy who’s so deeply troubled. I couldn’t wait to mine all of his psychological characteristics.
To develop his character, Phillippe combed through the novel to find details and nuances he might apply to his performance. “In a screen adaptation there isn’t necessarily room to explore every scene that takes place in the novel, so the book becomes your bible, he says. “Also, I was really into the novel. It was a page-turner. Now I can’t wait for Michael Connelly’s next book!
McConaughey’s and Phillippe’s on-screen relationship as lawyer and client evolved not from a lengthy rehearsal process but rather from a mutual respect and confidence in the other’s talents. McConaughey says, “When we went to the first read-through I said to him, ‘If it’s alright with you, Ryan, I’d rather not rehearse anything because in the film we don’t know a thing about each other until we meet. I want to be surprised by what you do, and for you to be surprised by what I do. So let’s rehearse on film.’ He completely agreed.
“Matthew and I have a great chemistry together and it was great to watch him be so in his element, Phillippe says. “It’s been fun because both of our characters are manipulating each other. What I think is so interesting and original in terms of their dynamic together is that we’ve created a lawyer and client who essentially hate each other. It’s a fascinating relationship.
When the producers and Furman were considering who would play Haller’s ex-wife Maggie McPherson, there was only one actress they wanted: Academy Award(R) winner Marisa Tomei. Rosenberg says, “We wanted an actress who was a contemporary of Matthew’s and who would be totally credible as Haller’s ex-wife, who is also a prosecuting attorney. Marisa had the intelligence and charisma to bring this character to life.
Although they’re no longer married, Mick and Maggie are still attracted to each other and work together to raise their eight-year-old daughter – theirs is a complex, real-world relationship that we haven’t seen on screen before. Says McConaughey, “There are a lot of couples like Mick and Maggie who still have working relationships, who are still attracted to each other, but they’re not together. Maggie and Mick understand something about each other that no one else does.
Tomei impressed Furman from the moment of their first meeting. “First of all, Marisa is all heart, says the director. “She has so much passion and cares so deeply that there’s nothing she doesn’t do without a hundred and fifty percent and thinking everything through. When we first met she had five million questions for me about every piece of the filmmaking process. Halfway through I thought, ‘Wow, now I know why she’s won an Academy Award(R).’ Her preparation, her diligence, and her understanding of the material were tremendous.
Based on the strength of the script and commitments from McConaughey, Phillippe and Tomei, the project attracted a notably high caliber of actors for its rich supporting roles. William H. Macy, who plays Frank Levin, a private investigator and Mick’s best friend, focused on finding ways to bring humor to his performance whenever possible. He says, “I tried to bring some levity to the project because it is deadly serious. So I approached it with a light touch and anywhere I could find a place for a little bit of a giggle, I put it in.
“There’s nobody like Bill, reports Furman. “He has his own individual performance style and his innate ability to hit moments naturally is so wonderful to watch. He just makes the filmmaking process so easy.
“He’s a ball, avows McConaughey. “I had worked with him briefly before in the film, SAHARA, but this time we really got to have some good scenes together where we got to show our past relationship, what our relationship is now, how much fun we have together.
John Leguizamo, who plays bail bondsman Val Valenzuela, relished playing a character who is deeply flawed yet still sympathetic. “Val sets the whole thing with Roulet in motion, explains Leguizamo. “He’s always looking for a chance to make a little extra cash and hook up his friends at the same time, but this time he sets off a little lie that ends up getting Mick into trouble.
Furman says, “John is truly one of the most gifted people I’ve ever met in my life. Everything he does is so natural and charismatic and quirky, and then he can also be effortlessly cool and hip. He’s got the whole package.
Even with only a handful of scenes in the film, actor Michael Pena makes a powerful impression as Jesus Martinez, Mick’s former client who’s been putting in jail time for a crime he didn’t commit. “The scenes between Matthew and me are pretty potent, says the actor. “It’s a turning point for Mick when he learns that I was wrongly convicted. He becomes almost a different person.
McConaughey agrees. “Mick helped put Jesus in prison when he was innocent and now Jesus has been there for four years. So how does he make amends? Getting an innocent man out of jail and getting his freedom back is more important to Mick than anything else.
Mick’s adversary in court, assistant D.A. Ted Minton, is portrayed by actor Josh Lucas as a man who’s precise and used to playing by the rules. Says Lucas, “But at a certain point Ted realizes that in order to win against Mick he has to play like him, too, which means playing more dangerously than he normally would.
To research his role, Lucas, who lives in New York City, would walk to his local courthouse and watch various real-life cases in process. “One of the amazing things about the U.S. legal system is that you can walk into the courtroom and watch any trial, he says. “Whether it’s murder, rape or aggravated assault, you get a list and you can just sit down and watch the amazing judicial process that happens in this country.
Homicide detective Lankford, played by Bryan Cranston, is another figure who pits himself against Mick Haller. “I’m kind of a hard ass and I hate the way Mick keeps ruining my hard work by getting criminals off on technicalities, says Cranston of his character. “But as the story turns, Mick starts planting clues that help the prosecution and it gets hard for me to figure him out. I don’t know if he’s a good guy or a bad guy.
Rounding out the cast are a number of other supporting players, including country music superstar Trace Adkins, who plays Eddie, the leader of a motorcycle gang who also happens to be one of Mick’s clients. “With just a few scenes, Trace did a fantastic job in making this Harley gang leader an appealing character, says Rosenberg. “He and Matthew had a great rapport onscreen. Additionally, veteran actress Frances Fisher appears in a key role as Louis Roulet’s upper-crust mother. “She’s absolutely elegant, reports Furman. “I remember saying to her, ‘You make it all look so easy.’ And she proved that every day.
Following McConaughey’s lead, the entire cast maintained an uncommonly high work ethic on set. According to Lucchesi, this had partly to do with McConaughey’s deep commitment to his starring role. He explains, “When you have the lead actor knowing his lines and being as focused and as driven to make good work, it elevates the rest of the cast. Matthew was really a wonderful piece of good fortune for this project.
Adds Furman, “Production was all about performance and being an actor. For instance, Laurence Mason, who played the role of Mick Haller’s driver, Earl, has no ego; he just loves being an actor and he brought that enthusiasm to set. Everyone put their best foot forward every single day.
THE LINCOLN LAWYER began filming on July 12, 2010. Shot entirely within Los Angeles County over the course of thirty-seven days, the film’s use of authentic locations was a priority for the filmmakers. Says Furman, “I wanted to capture what I consider to be the other side of L.A. This is a really huge place populated by massive and diverse communities. It’s not just Hollywood and Beverly Hills or the Valley that we generally see in film or on television. There’s also Boyle Heights and Lincoln Heights and Echo Park and Lynwood and Inglewood.
With this in mind, Furman led the production from swanky locations like the Trump Golf Course in Palos Verdes, with its spectacular panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, to the gritty urban area of Inglewood, which is southwest of downtown Los Angeles. Furman says, “Palos Verdes is so beautiful, and it contrasts so dramatically with the less polished sides of the city, like the Lynwood County Jail, which was incredibly real and also pretty appalling. The whole appeal of shooting in Lynwood was being able to show an underexposed part of the city.
The location for Mick Haller’s home was in the racially and economically diverse Echo Park area of the city. An unpredictable mix of run-down and gentrified houses, the area boasts spectacular city views of downtown Los Angeles. “I thought this would be just the place that Mick Haller would live, Furman says. “The area may be spotty, but I felt that Mick, who is now divorced and single, would find this place central to downtown and to the Valley.
Summing up the experience of shooting on location in Los Angeles, McConaughey says, “This is not the sunny, ritzy L.A. that we’re showing. It’s hot, humid, dusty, dirty, sometimes trashy. It’s, ‘Be sure you’re looking over your shoulder when you walk down the street,’ L.A. And the Lincoln Continental pimps it up a little, which is good, because Mick and this story has a little bit of pimp to it.
Indeed, THE LINCOLN LAWYER makes a point of embracing all the complexity and contradictions that converge in the character of Mick Haller. Mick is both a slick opportunist and an honorable man driven by his own sense of integrity; he’s sworn himself to the highest ethical standards while being forced to uphold a faulty system; and though his job is to respect the law, he knows he’ll have to break it in order to see justice served. As McConaughey says, “Mick is a complicated man. He has a code of principles which he often bends to his favor, but at the same time he’s a good guy. Ultimately, at the bottom of it all, he’s just trying to do what’s right.
The Lincoln Lawyer
Directed by: Brad Furman
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Josh Lucas, Frances Fisher, John Leguizamo, Margarita Levieva, Michael Pena
Screenplay by: John Romano, Michael Connelly
Production Design by: Charisse Cardenas
Cinematography by: Lukas Ettlin
Film Editing by: Jeff McEvoy
Costume Design by: Erin Benach
Set Decoration by: Nancy Nye
Music by: Cliff Martinez, David Torn
MPAA Rating: R for some violence, sexual content and language.
Studio: Lionsgate Films
Release Date: March 18, 2011
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