24/29
Call Mickey Haller
Plot
Need a lawyer? He runs his law firm out of his Lincoln, and he’s ready to step on the gas. Moving to Los Angeles, he takes on cases while balancing a personal life that includes being a father and having two ex-wives. Originally set up with CBS for a series commitment in 2020, it was canceled just before the first episode was to film due to COVID. It’s now been picked up by Netflix for a 10-episode first season based on Mickey Haller’s second book “The Brass Verdict.” Mickey Haller has several cars, all with personalized California license plates with legal terms on them. Personalized California plates allow a maximum of seven letters/numbers, but all of Mickey’s plates have at least eight. Referenced in Shrine of Telly: Week 3 (2022).
I enjoyed the movie, but I think I prefer the show
Taking a decent movie like this, and making an adaptation that surpasses it overall, is a colossal undertaking. There’s no doubt that they spent a fortune on this series. The setting, the dialogue, the story – everything is top notch. Don’t expect it to be exactly like the movie, because it’s not supposed to be, and don’t compare it to the novels (apples and oranges). I haven’t seen the lead actor (Garcia-Rulfo) play the lead role in anything that I can recall, although he’s appeared in a few amazing films over the last decade. He plays the role extremely well, and I think we’re seeing a long-awaited opportunity for him. Surprisingly, he embodies the essence of the lawyer hero that is required for this role (as did McConaughey).
She can’t not act
I think the success of the series depends solely on this factor. Neve Campbell is great as always. The rest of the supporting cast is satisfactory, in my opinion. At least they don’t necessarily detract from the experience. It’s been years since we’ve had a spectacular legal drama like The Practice (David E. Kelley), Boston Legal (David E. Kelley), Ally McBeal (David E.
Kelley), The Good Wife (not Kelley), now The Lincoln Lawyer (David E
Kelley). If this show stands the test of time like all of his previous legal dramas, it will transcend anything currently on the air (for this genre, of course). Within the first 30 minutes, I felt the same thrills I remember so many years ago. Back then, we could only watch one episode a week when they first came out, but now, in the age of binge-watching, I can absorb it all in a weekend. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life with all of David E. Kelley’s creations/productions, and I don’t regret a moment of my wasted youth. The only question I have is why did they wait so long to make another great movie?
Do we get a whiff of the cops?
Sure, but that’s just part of the mainstream these days, and like it or not, the entertainment industry is wedded to that “culture.” Accept that and move on, or you’ll be missing out on some of the pleasures you deserve, like The Lincoln Lawyer. Entertainment Value: 9. Acting: 6. Writing: 7. Cinematography: 8. Average: 7.5.
