I must say that I have never enjoyed anime or even watched it. However, after watching this series, I must say that it is the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed. This anime plays to about every human emotion. It will make you hate, love, wonder, and most importantly, it will break your heart. This was totally unexpected and the impact this anime has made is still with me today. The characters and the story are beautifully fleshed out and touch upon many subjects that fall close to home. The only criticism I can offer is a kind that is more compliment that critical; this anime is too short. I was desperate for more. I wish I could do this anime more justice. If you ever have the opportunity to watch this series, do so.


I think a 10 out of 10 is not high enough of a rating. We had a viewing of the whole series last night, and I must say, that it had to have been one of the most well paced anime's I have seen. Noir was awesome and comparatively as dark as Elfen Lied, but, in no way did it have the punch and power of this anime.

And if you are a fan of great anime with great background music that is totally contradictory yet totally appropriate to the series, then you have your helping in "more than you can eat" servings.

The plot is a well thought out one. There are times in the first episode that you think my opinion may be wrong, but, sit through it and you just may be more shocked by the final episode than the first.

I wish I could go into length and discuss it with everyone who reads this review, but that would take away your viewing pleasure.


I don't care if you arn't really into anime - I really wasn't when I first watched this. I don't care if you really don't like slaughter and death. This anime is beautiful and amazing. I would suggest watching it with the Japanese vocals and the English subtitles. You'll get past the death and slaughter and see a story so great that you'll want to watch more.

Although this does stray from the manga (i've never seen the manga, just know its a lot longer and different then how the animation ended) it is still worth watching.

don't forget to grab episode 14, while is really doesn't have much to do with the story (you do find out a little more about Lucy's past) if you're an Elfen Lied fan its nice to watch. It would be fine to watch it either after you've seen the whole series or after episode 10.


Out of the many anime series that I have watched (which is quite a few), Elfen Lied is unarguably the best that I have ever watched. I've never seen anything quite as moving as series has. Although it contains excessive nudity and violence, Elfen Lied has some of the most impacting scenes that are exceptionally rare nowadays. This anime can be categorized as a sci-fi, drama, and mystery. If anyone is a fan of any of these genres, this is the show to watch. Very few pictures can move someone like this does, and I haven't experienced one so far. Be warned, however, because this movie contains scenes that some may consider "strong pathos", but other than that there's absolutely no reason to watch this movie.


I'll keep this short.

Most of what others have said is true. This is a very well done anime. It has an exremely emotional and graphic story. It is as sad or emotional as "Grave of the fireflies" and as bloody as "Berserk" (I would say its worse).

Although it is fantasy because of the special powers the girls have you should not think it would diminish it. It is about not knowing who or what is good and bad, about tragedy and loss, it is about forgiveness.

Just be ready for this is not for the weak of heart.

I would definitely recommend this anime, its one of the best made anime I have ever seen.


I started watching anime for real about 2 or 3 years ago and during this time I've managed to see around 10 different anime and at least 500 episodes. And I can defiantly say that this 13 episodes short anime is by far the best anime ever made.

The only ones that come even a bit close to Elfen Lied are Death Note and Trinity Blood and those are almost even half as good. If it was possible I would probably give Elfen lied 15 out of 10 possible points.

The only bad and sad thing about it is that it's, like I said before, only 13 episodes. I wish they would make more but I guess it would by now only ruin it.


Elfen Lied is probably one of the greatest Anime cartoons ever made till date. It garbs you and pulls you in straight from the first episode and doesn't let go right through to the final thirteenth episode. Its all about how a girl named Lucy escapes from a facility and starts her adventure from the time she becomes her spilt personality/alter ego after a shot to the head Nyu on a rollercoster ride of love, sadness, death, hatred, love and laughs. It has a very gripping storyline and isn't for people who can't stand gore, brutality and cruelty (basically the faint of heart). I've watched all sorts of Anime but none shocked me as most as Elfen Lied and made me use all my emotions to the max. Even if you don't like Anime you have to watch Elfen Lied. It'll give you an entirely different perspective on Anime itself but also life.


This anime is awesome. Great story, perfect animation, a little bit of romance, some ecchi stuff, a bit of gore (a LARGE bit of gore), but THIS gore perfectly fit into the story and into the atmosphere of Elfen Lied. The story seems to be a little bit simple for the first look, but when you get further and further into it, you will find out, that you are really caught, and this great piece of art won't release you, until you watch it all. Otherwise, it's really masterful drawn and animated, and the switching between edgy cuteness, and terrible brutality + merciless murdering is great. The main character, Lucy/Nyuu is really great and they have described her emotions, decisions and psychics very well. It's just too awesome to resist!


Well at the beginning of the story it is more than just an evil nightmare. But time to time everything has change in it. We truly can watch how all the characters has change they have become more lovely with every episode. Trough the full story a bunch of strong emotions has following every footstep. Not just the anger and the suffer, what Lucy/Nyuu has feeld when she was just a child and then from that moment maybe always, but as she has start to live as Nyuu after the accident at the middle of the first episode, she has became close to a real character. Even time the evil Lucy has come out, but until that we can learn a lot about the character and we can feel too what she has, the whole world in which she lives has become a living world around us, and with every new information what we have learn about her, we really feel that she is just a victim, and really not a brutal serial killer.

Indeed it is bad what she deed. But in the last few episodes we can feel that she truly have changed. Well she still kill some of those soldiers, but this time it is a little more than just doing it for fun, I mean by any instinct. She has to protect Kohta, and in the last episode she finally after eight years have meet with him as Lucy herself and not as Nyuu. She has understand what she has done, and she really sorry about it. Of course Kohta cannot forgive those horrible things, but finally Lucy has truly turned out to be a really good character, who finally get close to her love, and have tolled him everything, everything with one kiss, and in that moment we can see again their childhood, when they two have played with each other eight years ago, without "any" troubles.

After that we can see how cute Lucy is, and she's crying, and next we see Nana as she going home, but in the same time Lucy has to face with the enemy. Well Kohta sad to never hurt somebody again, so I think when her second horn has broke off too, she lost her vectors, and she has died. But at the end until the credits has running, we've see a person outside the door at the Inn. Kohta was surprised when he saw the big antic clock has working again, on which one Nyuu has worked. The Songbox still plays Lilium, but when it stops playing it, the clock has ringing and the anime has ended, The End. Maybe Lucy was that person outside the door? Maybe she have fixed that clock, but she don't want to bother the others? I think we will never get any answer for these questions.

As I have spoked before the anime is full of strong emotions. The greatest emotion which one stand behind everything is the love. Of course this is a really beautiful emotion, but as the anime shows it could make really worse things too. At the end when I saw that Lucy has kiss Kohta I really thought that they could be with each other forever, and when I saw that her second horn has broke off too, my heart has nearly broke too. For the last episode these characters have became my friends and I was nearly cry at the whole night, and I really did, yes. There love cannot be fulfilled, but Lucy's heart truly could get some rest, and each other was really happy in that moment when they have kissed each other, much more happy than everyone could ever be. And at the end that beautiful smile at Lucy's face, it truly looked like she has always waited for that day to come, but that day is much more sad maybe, than any other days before.


The first ten minutes of this beautifully portrayed anime is a clear warning message for those with weak stomachs to find their entertainment somewhere else. Elfen Lied starts off with a cliché type of storyline: humans keep mutants locked up and experiment on them, mutants try to kill humans. However, after the first episode, I found myself captivated to go on. Even after (I think the eighth episode) where a puppy is mercilessly beaten to death, I kept being drawn in by the spiraling storyline, and found myself spending another thirty dollars on the final DVD. I have yet to watch it.

Those with weak stomachs better avoid this story in all. My sister at age thirteen (I'm fourteen) was absolutely terrified after watching the first episode. She had a good two weeks of nightmares, but continued watching. The storyline is addictive, so stay away unless you are prepared to watch every last second of gore, tears, and kisses.


I didn't know what to expect from Elfen Lied, just by chance I came across the first episode, countless hours later I had watched the entire 13 episodes and the OVA and knew I had just seen something special. So what is it all about? It starts as a girl with what seems like psychic powers escapes from a facility and as an indication of things to come it's very violent. Yes be warned there is graphic violence and nudity all the way through, but look past this and you'll find something unique indeed. It's a series that has elements of several genres : psychological horror, romance, drama and comedy, it probably shouldn't work, but somehow it does. It slips between cute and viciousness, between humour and cruelty. Needless to say without going into too many details there is a lot more to this girl Lucy than first appears as her split personality Nyu is found by a young man and his cousin who take her in. Things aren't easy for them as her vocabulary is limited initially to just repeating her own name. Of course the scientists send others to apprehend the dangerous girl but if all this is sounding a little too familiar, be assured all is not as it seems. Over 13 episodes (plus the OVA) I got to care about several of the characters and this series managed to have more impact than many other anime series that have a far longer running time. The graphic violence did not bother me to that extent but like other comments have stated this is not for everyone. There are cruel and upsetting scenes involving the young female characters and it would take a hardened heart to not to flinch or be moved by what the characters have to endure. Brtual scientific experiments, limbs are torn off, there are scenes of implied sexual abuse. But this is not some misogynistic experience of sadism, at its centre it is about characters who do not belong, who are trying to be accepted and are looking for some peace. Ultimately isn't that what most of us are longing for? Will they find happiness? What is the thread that connects these characters together? Watch Elfen Lied, it's unforgettable.


It's hard to describe Elfen Lied to someone who hasn't heard of it; the closest I can think of is a strange mix of extreme violence, romance and drama. To those of you who haven't witnessed it, you're probably wondering how these are all incorporated into the one piece coherently. Those that have though, are instead pondering why they haven't been put together sooner. Such is the quality and flow of this odd hybrid of an anime.

The real area that Elfen Lied shines is it's narrative - its hard not to be enthralled by its weaving course and diversity. A Violent and gory encounter will perhaps gives way to another with a contrasting lighter moment. Emotive drama gives way to bloodshed and then back again, only this time bring you close to tears as it does so. It's a strange combination, where you as the viewer are thrown about and manipulated like those in the story line itself, but one that works surprisingly well. It does this all the while without feeling disjointed, it has an elegance and clever subtly when it makes these strong transitions that makes it all the more mesmorising.

This is carefully finished with a truly memorable musical score, which in my opinion is another great strength. The opening 'Lilium' is particularly powerful, and differing versions feature prominently throughout - lending its intensity to emotive scenes. However, regarding music there's an off kilter over-happy pop song that plays over the credits after each episode. It feels out of place, but never the less is adequate enough, and it could be argued adds a good contrast to what is at times quite a depressing anime.

I must reiterate however, that the violence is somewhat extreme, and I advise you to be prepared for it if you are faint hearted. However by no means avoid this because of it, there's a lot more to it than the violence, and you will be denying yourself a truly wondrous experience by not watching it. It is to any fan of the medium unmissable; a weird cocktail of conflicting ideas - that on paper shouldn't work, but some how is pulled off in spectacular fashion, gripping you from the start to it's brutal conclusion.

Still not convinced? Well ask yourself this; Is there anything else out there that can lay claim to being disturbing and yet at the same time profoundly beautiful? It's worth watching on that premise alone.


This show was amazing. An engaging, romantic, touching, and beautiful story about love, innocence, forgiveness, and tragedy; and how these feelings all correspond with each other in the relationships of the people who deal with them.

Elfen Lied had some of the best animation I've seen in a long time. The colors are vibrant, the character designs are superb, and the environments are well drawn and realistic. The animation flows very smoothly and it's a joy to behold.

The series is presented in both English and Japanese 5.1. The English voice actors did an actually decent job of representing the characters and there weren't very many "painful" listening moments in the dub. It's an understatement to say that the music is absolutely phenomenal. The opening theme "Lilium" is great and it really sets the emotional mood for the show; the song itself is gorgeous and is actually very touching in how beautiful it is. The rest of the music in the series, minus the ending theme, is also very touching and well composed.

I won't go on and explain the whole story behind Elfen Lied, i'll just kinda highlight the main points. The story is essentially about the characters finding out where they belong in the world and how they deal with the situations they're faced with. The show deals heavily with the concepts of love, romance, innocence, promises, discrimination, and acceptance. It essentially sums up with that despite all the evil that there is in this world, there is still innocence and love to be found.

The characters in Elfen Lied were superb. They all acted like anyone else would in their situation. They all changed according to their circumstances. They were all REAL characters that people can relate to; and they were very fulfilling to watch.

This anime will go down as one of the best in history because it speaks to the heart of the person watching it. It takes you into the world of the characters to where you can actually feel for them. Elfen Lied accomplishes what most anime doesn't, it actually hits you right in the heart and moves you.


From the excellent opening to the brilliant and moving end of the series, this is truly astonishing stuff.

The anime works on several different levels, on one level its ultra violent, on another level its about abuse, another level its a painful and tragic love triangle, and the most important level its about family.

The diclonius are a mutated form of life, they are recognized by a set of horns that look like cat ears, they also possess telekinetic powers through the use of their "vectors", invisible arms that they control with a number and a reach depending on the diclonius. They are considered to be the new race of humanity but also at the same time incredibly dangerous to the human race. Rejected from human world and quarantined where they are subjected to sadistic testing in a research facility in order to protect the human race. One of the subjects known as Lucy who has a hatred for the human race and sadistically kills anyone in the human race without much concern or empathy escapes from the lab in bloody form. After receiving a nasty head trauma in her daring escape she is washed ashore. The day after her escape the story turns to a boy named Kohta, who arrives at Kamakura to meet his cousin Yuka. Kohta is studying at a local university and has been given free rent at an old family owned inn, provided he acts as care taker. After meeting with Yuka they head down to the beach where they find Lucy washed ashore. The head trauma that Lucy received during her escape causes her to develop a split-personality. She awakens incapable to say anything other than "Nyu" she is also completely docile and child like in innocence. This personality is a stark contrast to the cold violent killer that is Lucy. Kohta and Yuka decide to take her in under their care at the inn

Meanwhile the research facility that Lucy escaped from dispatch soldiers and even fellow diclonius to hunt down Lucy and bring her to an end. What follows is 13 episodes of some of the most heart breaking tales of lost innocence, abuse, and love that you will ever see in an anime.

For all the complaints that this is a dark anime, i would actually like to say that the family theme is really strong in this anime. Most of the characters in it came from broken homes, or in the diclonius cases no homes at all. The family element between Kohta, Yuka, Mayu, Nyu, and Nana is a really strong theme at the end of it. The love and warmth of the family element is very present once you get to the end and it really does make you think about it. This is a dark anime and plays around with a lot of dark material and many themes that are the underbelly of human fabric. Characters are abused both graphically and mentally. But at the end of it the theme isn't so much about a dark ending but more a moral and happier one. I really loved this anime. It has a fantastic look production wise, and just a really enthralling plot that keeps you thinking. The anime does have some humor and some lighter, dare i say ultra cute moments in it that do juxtapose the relatively dark nature of the show. I can't recommend this enough. My only complaint is that the ending while very satisfying, also left me wanting more, i can't help but think maybe this should have been a few episodes longer. The pacing runs perfectly for the main story but their were also a few loose ends that i wanted tied up, maybe i shouldn't complain though as the ending did a great thing and left me thinking about it, or maybe an OVA down the tracks, i would be all for it.

Overall this is a stunning piece of Anime on every level, check it out now Grade: A+

On a side not, If their is to ever be a live action version of this story, please let Takashi Miike be the one to direct as this is so up his alley


I've seen Elfen Lied in 3 days. At first I wanted to organize a marathon, but in the end, I am glad I chose to see it in 3 separate days, it helps the information sink in. This is, in my opinion, the best anime ever created. It is an enchanting mixture of drama, comedy, horror, SF and of course, everything is embraced by a wonderful, but heart-breaking love story. The characters are so complex and so powerful, that after a few episodes, you abandon your true persona and start living as they do, start feeling as they do, and their burdens and joys make your heart pulse. Lucy/Nyu is the mainspring of this glorious story, her anger and her strength make her a true goddess, but her feeling and inner burden still classifies her as human. I loved her ever-changing personality, and the outcome of it all. She is accompanied by Nana(who shares a similar secret), Kouta, Yuka and Mayu, and other equally important characters, either masterminds, or puppets, or victims of fate. All these masterfully-created people make this story splendid. As for physical aspects, all the characters are very beautiful, the graphic is excellent, and the color-light effects are well-thought. The music caught my attention from the very beginning, when the opening lighted up the screen. The main theme "Lilium" is repeated throughout the series, and this particular song has been blessed with notable importance in the story line. Despite the fact that it is a sublime, gorgeous story, it is also sad, heart-wrecking, and unfair. But in the end, the feeling within is still warm, and the tears that you might shed are both sad and happy. I wish you all a great time viewing this marvel of an anime. O castitatis lilium!


Elfen Lied is an beautiful, emotionally charged story about human nature with a catch. The catch is that the tale contains extreme amounts of adult content in every episode, from dismemberment to nudity. If you are capable of looking at this content and understanding its bearing on the story then I highly recommend the series. The story on a surface level may be straight forward, a mutant goes on a rampage against it's oppressors, however the draw lies in the implications of the story. Psychological problems, tragedy, love, betrayal, and human emotional response to all the above flow from the storyline, making Elfen Lied much more than a first look at the plot may suggest. The characters are multi-dimensional, and will be both loved and hated over the course of the series. By the time the series drew to a close I personally was quite attached to the protagonists and admittedly cried during the final episode. Further concerning the adult content, I cannot stress enough the maturity required to view this series. This anime has the most blood and nudity I have ever seen in one place and contains plenty of adult language. If you are too immature to watch the characters for their personalities rather than their bodies or are of weak constitution pass on this series. If you take this warning seriously and consider yourself capable of handling it, Elfen Lied makes for an excellent, engrossing story worthy of thought, laughter and tears.


I have seen that the reviewer "Sebkedos" mentions "If you like Evangelion, you'll have fun with Elfen Lied". Well, Mr. Seb, you are right.

Elfen Lied is the most brutal, violent, sick, twisted, bloody and gory anime ever. And I loved it. Parents, get the away from this one if you want sanitized entertainment. It has everything to corrupt the youth (nudity, gore, extreme graphic and psychological violence).

The story is about as straightforward as anything. Diclonius are mutants who possess "vectors" (invisible hands) and have the power to exterminate humanity. Trouble begins when one such diclonius, named Lucy, escapes from the research facility off Kamakura (and we are treated to a gruesome scene in which she disembowels and kills 23 guards). The rest of the series is about how the research people, the Special Armed Forces and the police try to retrieve the diclonius, and fail - but they set the stage for a lot of bloodshed.

Straightforward? Yeah, I thought so. However, it is like NGE: it has its share of hidden meanings. It treats subjects such as human psychology or the nature of violence either directly, or through allegories. It has its characters with tragic back-stories, and the use of flashbacks to reveal these. It also looks into the minds of characters, who have their own emotional and psychological problems (example: Lucy/Nyu suffers from split personality disorder) This also goes for its stunningly realistic artwork; I'm talking especially about its backgrounds (they remind me of old paintings somehow).

Trivia fact: in the intro and the outro, paintings by Gustav Klimt are reproduced (ofcourse, using characters from the series).

Overall, one of the best series I've ever seen. Highly recommended for fans of psychological or progressive anime.

Advice: stay away from the OVA. It takes place between episodes 10 and 11, adds nothing to the story and to add insult to injury, has COMEDIC undertones! What the bloody hell is with the comic parts in the OVA, whereas the series has an unmistakeably serious tone, I don't know. This has annoyed me.


First don't be turned off by what you see when you Goolge search this Anime title. The show is very well done. Even though there is a tone of violence (I'm talking extreme R rated gore) and nudity (not sex related) the show is very well done. If you are knew to anime this is also a good show. It is more 'down to Earth' then most other anime. Not having magic, flying, super heroes in space, etc. Though some imagination is required.

Again don't be turned off by what you see when you search on Google Image, the show is very deep and well done.

The Enlgish voice acting is well done also.


Still too many questions remaining at the end. But all is perfect in the series. The plot, the characters, "Lilium" song (i discovered it before the anime itself ^O^ I suggest you to pick it up==>Konishi Kayo & Kondoo Yukio "Lilium" ), the emotions all along the episodes... Only the ending song is a bit irritating and has nothing to do with all the rest. And perhaps the series itself is a bit short. But I've loved all what i've seen.

Then, we don't have to forget the psychology and the sad stories of all the characters (all those cute girls too^^)It's quite like nobody had a happy life. A bit of nudity (but all without sexual contents, don't worry). Not for kids although because of all that blood and explosing bodies^^

I m not telling the plot... Just watch it. It won't take too long though.

What else? Elfen Lied is a little Japanese jewel XO I'm waiting for the second season (hoping that there will be one... but the end seems to say us "ha ha ha, it's not yet the end!!!")

No, no^^ I m not putting any spoiler. Enjoy!


I've seen my fair share of putrid and insulting trash that ends up being acclaimed to the heavens by masses but this show really takes the cake. If you want an example of what anime NOT to show to a newcomer to the medium or..anyone who you don't hate, by all means, shove this show into the face of anyone who you never want speaking to you ever again.

This anime's 'plot' revolves around a mistreated, cat-eared lab rat sub- species to humans known as Diclonius who have psychic powers using 'vectors' (depicted as barely visible arms that reach out from within them) which are used for violent purposes of course. The terrible plot is thinly veiled by its excessive and 'shocking' violence where countless limbs are sliced off and bodies are beheaded. Unfortunately, not even scenes of animal or catgirl abuse, its only redeeming factors, can diminish what a torturous viewing experience it is in all...

The story is contrived and nonsensical from its very start. A Diclonius named Lucy brutally murders many scientists and security guards, etc. at the experimental facility in which she has been confined for years. Sadly, her escape from the place is hindered by an injury to her head which results in - you guessed it - the development of an alternate personality. This is nowhere near the peak of the show's stupidity though.

Not only does Lucy now have an alternate personality, but this new personality of hers - Nyuu - is essentially a tragically retarded and meowing human/cat hybrid. After the conveniently naked and quite creepy Nyuu is washed ashore, Kohta and his cousin Yuka discover her and do the most sensible thing possible. No, they don't call the police. They decide without any apparent forethought to take her home to live with them. Yeah, just like that. Intelligence never prevails in this show.

Elfen Lied has a godawful cast of 'characters' with literally no redeeming qualities worth noting. Again, Nyuu is a retard and she takes up more screen time than Lucy does; this is likely because she is made to be a sadistically perverted retard who assaults other women in the household at any given opportunity. It's naturally quite fitting for a tale that is later marketed as one of tragic romance and a representation of the level of cruelty which humanity is capable of. And this leads me to the most painful aspect of the series. Its lack of understanding of the concept of subtlety. Don't you just hate it when your emotions are taken advantage of, your heart strings are pulled at when you least expect it, or when you see a lovable character die a gruesome death? If so, don't hesitate to watch Elfen Lied as this series has no idea how human beings interact, much less does it understand how to emotionally involve viewers. The only attempts the series makes to have viewers 'care' about characters is to have them viciously beaten, have their bodies ripped to bloody shreds, or, best of all, have their one and only canine companion pummeled before their eyes by plot devic-- I mean bullies. This show is just one cliché after another. There are some messages presented amidst all of this though. The series wants the viewer to sympathize with the life-ruiner Lucy, yet the best they could do is have her witness her dog's death as a child and expect that to be reason enough to side with a murderer from now on? I mean, come on..

Then there's the moronic Kohta who does little more than act as bland as he can before the onset of his next little flashback to yet another oh-so-cleverly concocted plot device - Lucy killing his father and sister when he was a child. Wow, what a shocker that was. There is no interesting confrontation though. Just Kohta having a weirdly intense migraine upon the return of his forgotten memories and more killing. At first the show was 'so bad it's good'. Now it's 'so bad it just sucks'.

No personality, no charisma, no likability whatsoever (except for the fact that he hasn't killed anyone). You want it? Kohta doesn't have it. But hey, this is a lonely serial killer's dream harem, right? Everyone fits right in. As for Yuka, she tries to get in the way of the 'romance' between Lucy and Kohta by being as annoying and selfish as possible. She's just a cheap tactic to get viewers to think 'hey, that psycho killer Lucy doesn't seem so bad compared to a shrill cousin'. The characters are all painted as purely evil or innocent victims of circumstance. There is no sign of complexity in characterization, no warring emotions, no real moral debating. Only ploys to get the viewer to pick sides as easily as possible while having it end as a fairy tale to convince them that what they just watched wasn't conjured solely for the purpose of shock value - why, there's a heart too!

There is also a lot of nudity in the series that is so unnecessary and misused that it only adds to the disaster factor. There is nothing wrong with nudity - but to use it JUST to keep viewers watching? That's selling out.

The animation and art are poor. Also, just so you know, if you think the art style used in the opening is original, it's not.

The opening theme, Lilium is pretty but miserably out of place. After all, it is a stupid harem with boobs and blood. You get to hear the theme in supposedly moving scenes though. Just close your eyes and listen to it and the pain will become more bearable.

Would I recommend Elfen Lied? Yes, but only if you want a legitimate reason to treasure the shows you do like, dislike, or hate. It's pretty hard to get worse than this.


First of all, I must say that I am no anime expert. My entire knowledge of the genre is limited to the more famous Miyazaki films, 'Ghost in the Shell' and its sequel, and now the beautiful, dark, tragic 'Elfen Lied'.

The story centers around Lucy, a girl born with a genetic mutation which gave her horns and 'vectors' - powerful telekenetically controlled arms. The first time we meet her, she is cold-bloodedly killing soldiers and office workers in what appears to be a strange research facility. A sniper succeeds in shooting her in the head, ending her rampage. However, he fails to kill her: she falls into the sea surrounding the facility, and is later found washed up on the beach by two cousins. However, this is not the Lucy we saw spilling so much blood - the shot left her with severe amnesia, turning her into the innocent, childlike Nyuu. When an assassin and later another being of her kind are sent to destroy her, we witness the murderous Lucy emerging once more, only to transform back into Nyuu once the violence is over. As the series progresses, we gradually learn about Lucy's horrific past, finally leaving us with the dilemma: Were her brutal actions perhaps in any way justified?

Elfen Lied is dark, that I will not deny. Lovers of light, happy entertainment will be disappointed and very likely offended. The series deals with all the darker aspects of humanity: the practice of alienating those who are different, murder, cruel experimentation, sexual abuse, sadism, torture, and even genocide or 'purifying the earth'. As the story progresses, we find that virtually all the main characters have experienced one or more of these, and much of the series focuses on their attempts to somehow cope with the trauma; to pick up the pieces.

Which brings me on to the violence. Elfen Lied is decidedly not a series for the faint-hearted. We watch bodies being torn in half, children being dismembered, and one scene of horrific animal cruelty. However, throughout the series, I do not remember one act of violence that seemed in any way 'trashy' or unnecessary. This is no gore-fest made to entertain teenage males. What is often even more disturbing than the violence itself, are the emotions attached to it. Also, some of the most violent scenes are rather surreal: think characters being tortured to eerily beautiful Gregorian chants.

The major characters of Elfen Lied are highly memorable: sinning and sinned-against Lucy and her touchingly loving alter ego Nyuu; endearingly awkward Kohta who continuously battles his feelings for her but has painful repressed memories; his cousin Yuka who many reviewers have branded as 'irritating' but is really a somewhat unsettling reflection of the jealousy that turned Lucy into a killer; lovable Nana who is basically Lucy without the violent side; and Mayu, the abuse victim whose story of recovery is one of the most uplifting in the series. I would also like to mention Mariko, a minor character but still my personal favourite: she is a young girl who has the same mutation as Lucy, who does horrific things to people with the air of a child burning ants with a magnifying glass.

In conclusion, Elfen Lied is a mature and deep series which can be enjoyed on so many levels: from an action horror story to a philosophical debate on what it means to be human. The execution is exquisite, with images that linger in the mind for a long time. All in all, I recommend Elfen Lied to anyone with an open mind, a strong stomach, and a willingness to try something different.


I am not a big anime fan..I watched a lot, but none of them made me impressed like this.I'm really congratulating the writer..I watched all episodes ( including special ova episode ) in 1 days without moving..In next 3 days, I watched two times again..

It has a sci-fi based gorgeous story; if you love thinking on complex stories, this anime is a must for you...It's just 13 episodes, but makes watcher even cry with dramatic scenes....You can taste all the feelings in this series.You can see all the emotions.I had never seen an entertainment that describes character psychologies as well as this.

So my comment is just watch if you didn't yet..The best anime 4ever...

10 points are not really enough for this title, but sorry its max allowed here.


It's always the short (<30 episodes) anime series that get me, and Elfen Lied is NO exception. At a mere 14 (13 + 1 extra OVA) episodes, I was kind of doubtful it was gonna be any good when my friend recommended it to me.

I was wrong. Best, most intense, most depressingly emotional show I have ever watched.

This thing is a masterpiece. Instantly became my favourite anime (and show) of all time, beating out Death Note and the like.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! In fact, I pity those who have not watched this. Some people are turned off instantly by the gore and nudity, but these people are ignorant pussies (to put it bluntly).

PS: Don't forget to read the manga to find out the REAL ending. Yes, the manga IS better than the anime, and that's saying something.


This is the best anime I have ever seen. I have been frantically looking for the manga of the same title, but none have been published to date in English.

This story entwines the deepest of human (and not so human) emotions in a cruel yet truthful way. The ideas of amnesia, revenge, abuse, love, hate, trauma, racism and so on are cleverly mixed to produce a masterpiece.

This anime has the fault of having a rather... shocking first scene, and this would discourage sensitive people from watching it. On the other hand, it made me want to continue watching it more eagerly.

Another aspect I loved of this was the sceneries. You know those 'blank' cuts which are shown before any of the story occur, and serve to set the setting? Those are gorgeous in Elfen Lied. The tranquillity is astounding. I would hang one up on my wall if I could.

I also really like the music. The theme song "Lilium", sung in Latin still sends chills down my spine, even after hearing it so many times.

All in all, Elfen lied is the best anime to date in all aspects of it. 10/10. As a final note, I must confess that this is the one and only video I actually cried to at the end. Literally.


This, of course, was McQueen's last role. It is nothing grand, and for the most part there really is no plot, but it is still a rather good movie. This movie revolves around McQueen's character who is a bounty hunter. This movie shows him go after various people and also shows his home life...which is a bit unique too. He goes after super big rednecks, small time crooks, crazy guys who blow things up, and one rather dangerous individual. Someone who he captured in the past also stalks him. All in all it isn't the greatest movie, but it mixes action and humor well. Even though McQueen was feeling the effects of his illness during the shooting of this one, he still does a great job.


Steve McQueen plays Papa Thorson a man who lives in the past with the motto "New things are no Good." Papa's a bounty hunter who relies on a law from the late1800's that allows anyone to capture those who jump bail (by almost any means necessary).

Most of the movie shows Papa tracking down and capturing criminals. There are some wacky chase scenes -- one involving a Trans Am and a Harvester in a corn field - but most the action is mundane especially compared to McQueen's other films.

The movie would have benefited greatly with better effects (explosions, etc), some one liners and stronger characterization.

The ending is somewhat sentimental and cheesy. The film is based on a true story - which probably could have used some embellishment. McQueen gives a pretty good performance and it's fun to see Levar Burton in one of his earlier roles.

Recommended for hard-core McQueen fans only.


Christopher Keane has written one hell of a Novel and a screenplay. Want proof of this? Steve McQueen not only made the movie he demanded that he make THIS movie.

Ralph "Poppa" Thorsen is a professional bounty hunter with bad driving skills, a house full of cons, cops, and hanger-ons. He has a passion for the past, a love for his mate, and a sincerity that is classic.

There are fantastic moments of comic relief, great drama, and perfect chracter development. McQueen is totally loveable in this film.

If you have ever wanted to learn how to write a screenplay you should see this film and read Chris Keane's book "How to write a selling screenplay". You will know all you need to know after that.


I saw this film several times as a kid and really enjoyed it--seeing it as a 13 year old, it was my introduction to Steve McQueen. Watching it recently as an adult, I still find it amusing. As another reviewer said, it is Steve McQueen in self-deprecation mode. He is relaxed and amusing. And has some great one-liners. Example--

LeVar Burton: "What's that, Papa?" Steve McQueen: "Stun gun." LeVar Burton: "What does it do?" McQueen: "Ruin your day."

McQueen is almost child-like in this movie. The way he interacts with Kathryn Harold, and the thugs he goes after. But he's still the McQueen we know and love when he confronts the Texas ranger played by Ben Johnson. See this movie--it's got some great humor and stunts. The music is a bit cheesy and the story is rather episodic, but still a fun night at the movies.


The late, great, sorely missed tough guy supreme Steve McQueen gives a typically cool, laconic and utterly engaging performance as rugged, but weary modern-day bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson, who goes after dangerous criminals who have skipped bail and has trouble adjusting to an ever-changing world he feels increasingly out of place in. Directed in a rather plain, yet still effective manner by TV show veteran Buzz Kulik, this movie has a certain rough look and gritty atmosphere to it that's gripping and believable. The pace is a bit slow, but fitfully steady just the same. The action sequences are very lively, riveting and exciting; two highlights are a stirring chase between a wheat thresher and a Trans Am in a corn field and a wild lengthy set piece towards the end which starts out as a foot chase and ultimately culminates into a car chase (the whole sequence on a speeding subway train totally smokes). Both Michel Legrand's rousing score and Fred Koenekamp's smooth photography are on the money fine. The topflight supporting cast constitutes as another substantial plus: Kathryn Harrold as Thorson's loving, but long-suffering pregnant school teacher girlfriend, Eli Wallach as a crusty bail bondsman, Levar Burton as a nice young guy who befriends Thorson, Ben Johnson as an ornery sheriff, and the ever-creepy Tracey Walter as a crazed, vengeful ex-con with a personal grudge against Thorson. McQueen's reliably strong, personable and charismatic screen presence really holds the picture together; McQueen brings a likability and vulnerability to Thorson that's refreshing and appealing in equal measure. Unjustly reviled by most critics during its theatrical release, "The Hunter" overall sizes up as an extremely solid and satisfying little ripper that's well worth checking out by both Steve McQueen fans and action movie buffs alike.


"The Hunter" appeared in theaters in the summer of 1980, just a few months before Steve McQueen's premature passing. Some reviewers have savaged the movie as his worst, and many folks love to slam it. However, the worst thing I can identify is its ordinariness, that it does not measure up to the talents of its stars. For that reason, it seems like a sadly mediocre end to McQueen's career.

McQueen had taken a long hiatus from movies in the 1970s (unless you count the bizarre "An Enemy of the People") but returned with two 1980 releases, "The Hunter" and the western film "Tom Horn". I never have really liked "Tom Horn" (too darn much blood and gore) but "The Hunter" is much better. It's a story of a modern bounty hunter (McQueen), his pregnant girlfriend (Kathryn Harrold), and McQueen's efforts to bring the bad guys in. There's lots of action (much of it cartoonish) and a subplot about Harrold's pregnancy and a frantic hospital scene at the end of the movie. The two stars give good if not great performances, but they're let down by a bland script, which looks like an expanded 1970s cop-show story. Sadly, McQueen complained about a persistent cough during filming, and was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late 1979, at the age of 49.

It seems like yesterday that this film premiered in theaters, but surprisingly it's been 28 years. McQueen's return to films wasn't earth-shaking, however he showed flashes of what could have been a successful career revival. I think it's a glimpse of what might have been, rather than a look at a tired, faded star. In that respect, the movie is rather sad, because McQueen never made another movie.


Steve McQueen's farewell performance in The Hunter is a fine action thriller based on the true story of Ralph 'Pappy' Thorsen, bounty hunter and scourge of bail jumpers everywhere or at least those in and around the Chicago area.

It's interesting how the film builds up the level of difficulty of McQueen's cases. His first case was bringing in LeVar Burton who was between the two roles that made his career, in Roots as Kunte Kinte and in Star Trek the Next Generation as Geordi LaForge. The two of them hit it off so well that when Burton's charges are dismissed, he goes to work for McQueen.

The film itself builds up gradually to McQueen's last two cases where the action in the last 25 minutes doesn't let up at all, almost like an Indiana Jones film. There's a fine action sequence involving pursuit on the Chicago Metro and later in a parking lot with McQueen trying to apprehend Thomas Rosales, Jr. who is one real psycho. And then McQueen has to deal with Tracey Walter, a psycho out to kill him who kidnaps McQueens's pregnant girl friend Kathryn Harrold. Walter makes Rosales look like Cary Grant, in fact it was the best psycho act since Steve Ihnat in Madigan.

Always a pleasure in any film is Eli Wallach, reunited with McQueen from one of McQueen's earliest triumphs in The Magnificent Seven. Wallach plays the bail bondsman who hires McQueen's services and is his friend and confidante.

McQueen's last illness came on him with suddenness, though he looks his 50 years, he doesn't look ill in The Hunter. As so he did not get the kind of cinema valedictory that John Wayne did in The Shootist. Still The Hunter is a fine film for a screen legend to go out on.


"The Hunter" is no masterpiece, certainly, and not on a par with Steve McQueen's classics from the 1960's. But it did showcase a looser, more easy going McQueen and showed a direction he might have gone further in during the 1980's had he lived. Certainly its no worse than a lot of the films Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds were churning out in this time period. I enjoyed the movie, its certainly watchable, but it is hampered by what seems like a made-for-TV look and budget at times (Steve McQueen couldn't get a bigger budget??). The musical score sucks in the way many 70's and 80's films did, and there's one howlingly ludicrous classroom scene featuring Kathryn Harrold as McQueen's girlfriend. But its all about McQueen in his final performance really. Fortunately he looks pretty good in this film, at least better than he did in "Tom Horn" and "An Enemy of the People" and he also looks like he was having a pretty good time. It was also nice to see him in his final film go full-circle playing a modern equivalent to his break-through role as a bounty hunter in "Wanted:Dead or Alive", which was where I first became a fan of McQueen's. He was a true movie star and a man's man and I still miss him.


Another non sense film with a very weak plot and an old Steve McQueen, which acting was just acceptable. The film as such shows a violent hunter who is not really doing his hunting for justice. It is boring in general and no message no morale as such in the film. Simply another waste. Good to see again the former Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton)of the series "Roots".


I'd like my vote to be 6 1/2, but can't do it. I don't know how I'd missed it, but I had barely heard of this movie -- in fact, knew nothing about it except its title -- until about a month ago. It's not a great film, but it is good amusement. Steve McQueen's role seems like a pale imitation of his former work, until one realizes that he was dying of cancer at the time of its making, and that the character he portrayed was SUPPOSED to be worn out and past his prime. Over all, it works for me. I found several interesting juxtapositions in The Hunter. 1). McQueen became a star playing a bounty hunter on TV, and he was a bounty hunter in his last film; 2). Eli Wallach played his enemy in The Magnificent Seven, and his primary employer here; 3). Ben Johnson was his employer, then his enemy, in The Getaway, and is a nemesis here. I feel as if circuits were being completed in Steve's last movie, as if he were sort of uniting the threads of his career. I'll see this film again.


I'm a huge Steve McQueen fan and have seen as much of him as I could from The Blob through The Hunter. In his later movies, the characters he plays are complex and real--so much so, that there's a blur between the character and the actor.

This movie isn't an Oscar-winner, but as a nuanced character, McQueen is doing some of his finest work here. There are one or two awkward plot elements--the friend who commits suicide, for example. But the acting is superb, the pacing nice.

This and Tom Horn were beautiful final testaments to a man who made acting a little more realistic, a little less wooden, than was common in his day. I rank this movie high for the sheer fun of it. You don't see chase scenes between a Trans Am and a harvester every day.


Steve McQueen's The Hunter did not receive great criticism, but who cares!!! It was McQueen's last film. It was all about him. It was all about him doing what he does best(acting real, tough, and yet vulnerable) McQueen is one of the last old school action movie star who possessed such a qualities. Look at those modern action movie stars today, they have no character what so ever, and they are just superficial iron pumping bodybuilders who is not even athletic in actions. McQueen was perfectly cast as real life bounty hunter, Ralph, papa, Thorson. It was the perfectly portrayed as what real tough guy used to be like. It is sad for America that they just don't make them like McQueen anymore, I can only imagine/dream about how he would be developed as an actor if he didn't pass, and yet making The Hunter would be greatest thing for his last standing...... This move also features Old cowboys like Ben Johnson, Eli Wallach (co-star of The Magnificent Seven), beautiful Kathryn Harrold, and TV Roots, LeVar Burton. I really don't think McQueen could not ask anyone better than them.


"Fracture" (2007) is directed by Gregory Hoblit who has also made "Frequency" (2000), "Fallen" (1998) both of which I like and "Primal Fear" (1996) - his feature debut that I love.

Crime /Thriller/Mystery /Court Drama are among my favorite genres and as long as the combination of these genres is clever, gripping, atmospheric, well acted, keeps me guessing and entertains me, I am happy. I know that many viewers were very insightful and figured out the twists and the ending within first half of hour or so but I did not and I was impressed by the way the disappearance of the crucial evidence had been handled - very clever. Besides being an entertaining crime movie, the most interesting element of "Fracture" is a struggle of wills and intellects between two main characters, self-made inventor - millionaire Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) who shot his unfaithful wife in the face and put her in a coma and young, successful and smart assistant D.A. Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling), who has a 97% conviction rate and is assigned to prosecute Crawford just when he is ready to accept a lucrative offer from the prestigious LA law firm. The game of cat and mouse that highly intelligent and malevolent Crawford plays with Beachum makes the film interesting and the scenes between Hopkins (in his "playful Dr. Lector" mode) and Gosling (whose character does change as he realizes what he is dealing with from the unsympathetic self-centered hot shot to the man who becomes obsessed by the case, vows to put the murderer behind the bars and makes it his priority) - riveting and joy to watch. I also would like to mention David Strathairn as Willy's boss, DA Joe Lobuto in yet another understated effective performance. Strathairn's Lobuto is so interesting that he could be a main character in another move. "Fracture" is not perfect. For example, Willy's affair with Nikki Gardner (Rosamund Pike), a beautiful lawyer and his perspective boss was lifeless - they did not have any chemistry together. I think that Nikki's purpose in the movie was to introduce Willy to her father, a judge, whose help he would desperately need in one of the later scenes. I'd rather prefer more scenes between Willy and Crawford but even the way it was, the movie kept my attention all the way through and despite the rather weak ending, I found "Fracture" quite good.


I thought the intellectual chess game between Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling was pure joy. What a pleasure to watch the two play mind games with each other -- with the audience in on the action. Thought the pace was good, the direction suspenseful. The only aspect of the movie that I would say was less than A+ was the love interest between Ryan Gosling and Rosamund Pike. I thought it a bit confusing that she was both his boss and his love interest. Not sure they needed the full love interest in the plot. All in all, a most entertaining movie. Other than that, the plot line of the legal case was engaging, understandable and realistic. I highly recommend it to those interested in movies that make you think.


Blessed with a smart script, stylish direction and first-rate performances by Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling, "Fracture" emerges as more than just the "Silence of the Lambs" knock-off it would appear to be on the surface.

In a role reminiscent of a somewhat toned-down (i.e. non-cannabilistic) Hannibal Lecter, Hopkins plays Ted Crawford, a wealthy L.A. businessman who shoots his wife when he discovers she's having an affair with a hostage negotiator. Crawford readily admits to the crime, giving the police a signed confession and insisting on defending himself in court. Gosling is Willy Beachum, a cocky, up-and-coming public prosecutor who takes the case believing it will be one last slam-dunk victory for him before he moves on to bigger and better things at a prestigious private law firm downtown. Beachum gets more than he bargained for, however, when the creepy and unnerving Crawford begins to play the legal system for all it's worth, tweaking the hotshot lawyer by outthinking him and continually knocking him off his game.

In less capable hands, "Fracture" could easily have been a standard-issue, twist-and-turn courtroom drama, but thanks to the talents involved, it transcends the limitations of its genre. Daniel Pyne and Glenn Gers have written a screenplay filled with witty, crackling dialogue and sharply observed insights into the psyches of its two principal characters. Hopkins and Gosling play the cat-and-mouse game with conviction and gusto, while director Gregory Hoblit and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau use a smoothly gliding camera and a barely perceptible visual distortion at the edges of the picture to highlight the "fractured" nature of the piece. Moreover, the film has a nice L.A. feel to it, as it takes us to various interesting sites around town, including the ultra-modern, near-surrealistic Disney Concert Hall located in the heart of the city.

There is strong supporting work by David Straitharn ("Good Night, and Good Luck"), Billy Burke, Rosamund Pike and Fiona Shaw ("Mountains of the Moon"), among others, but it is Hopkins and Gosling, locked in a life-or-death battle of acumen and wits, who make "Fracture" a perpetually compelling and watchable courtroom thriller.


The tagline of this film sounds interesting, but also shows the movie's thin plot. 'I shot my wife. Prove it.' Ultimately, the film is smart and witty and keeps you intrigued the entire time as you try find a way to do what the tagline asks you to. However, that's it. Naturally, Anthony Hopkins can do now wrong and 'newbie' Ryan Gosling does really well. Together in a scene, these two are awesome.

What I like about this film is that it totally focuses on the Hopkins/Gosling story-line. In many other films like these there's always that the policemen/attorneys (in this case Gosling) fall in love and then mess it up/ruin their marriage because the case is tearing them apart, you know the drill. There's always some sub story-line involving romance. Gosling finds romance in this movie with Rosamund Pike's character, but it doesn't evolve into another story-line. It doesn't take Willy Beachum's (Ryan Gosling) eyes off the price and even when it falls apart, he doesn't appear to care much (it's all about getting Crawford behind bars) or to feel a need to make it right. I like that. I mean, I love romance in films, but this movie shouldn't be about that and it's not.

Also, the fact that Ted Crawford (Hopkins) is in complete control over everything and everyone in this film astonishes me. This man plays roles like these so well! He just keeps you glued to the screen. The way he is in charge of Willy for (almost!) the entire film is just enjoyable to watch, making the end of the film even more enjoyable when the story comes out and the roles change.

Another reason to praise Gosling for the way he portrayed Willy Beachum. Anthony Hopkins is a legend. He is what draws people to theatres and he is one of the most brilliant actors of all times. Plus, he portrays such a strong character here that I can't help but praise Gosling for holding his own in a very strong manner. Scenes with Gosling are entertaining to watch. You feel drawn to him in almost the same way you feel drawn to Hopkins, even though Willy is in a dark place for most of the film and is hardly in control. Gosling's got great timing.

The story-line might be a little thin and fragile, the outcome is worth it. The movie surprises in more than one way, not in the last place because of the pretty much brilliant performances of both actors. Gosling is going to be big.

8/10


I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed watching this film as I heard many positive critical reviews before going into it so I had high expectations to begin with. However I was not let down one bit since "Fracture" more than held its own. It contained a very simple plot structure but also offered a very original take on a different type of court case. While it might not be possible in real life, it worked magic on the big screen and transformed into an excellent film almost within the first few minutes.

Even though Sir Anthony Hopkins played a role almost exactly identical to that of his previous Hannibal Lecter, it was still great to see him back in this form because that's what I always thought he was best at: the maniacal genius. Although I will admit he does have an incredible range. He didn't add anything new to his character that we haven't seen him do before, yet I still loved watching him whenever he was on the screen. The big shock for me was Ryan Gosling. I knew he was a good actor and that he has been in some great movies but this was his best performance by far. He just calmly waltzed into each scene and was able to hold his own against the veteran Hopkins. Gosling's natural ability is simply breathtaking with how much of it he was blessed with. Any doubts of him I had before are now officially thrown out the window. The rest of the ensemble was at least adequate and the only one who I was a little disappointed in was Billy Burke since he didn't seem completely convincing.

There is somewhat of a twist waiting for the viewer at the final showdown and what I loved about it was it wasn't thrown in there for no reason. It actually went with the story, which is what's supposed to happen but hasn't lately in numerous other cases. It won't throw you for a complete loop but rather ties up some loose ends that had me scratching my head up until then. While there's elements of the legal proceedings that are completely Hollywoodized and could in no way happen in real life, I didn't seem to mind at all and was actually glad they did that. This was most likely because it flowed with the story and offered a fresh perspective.

"Fracture" will be one of those small cinematic feats that goes overlooked and prematurely fades into oblivion but for those that do get to see it you won't be disappointed. You may not agree with some parts and might even spot some dead on plot flaws, but if you can overlook that and instead focus on the film as a whole you are in for a treat. The courtroom drama is suspenseful and is presented just as it should be. The quips taken from both sides are clever and offer some well-timed comic relief. The love story while not necessarily essential didn't take anything away from the other parts either. Job well done to mostly everyone on this production, this was a tightly wrought law thriller that was no chip off the old block by any means!


My father received movie passes from his work or something for an exclusive premiere of this movie and we just got back from it about 2 hours ago. Wow. If you've seen the previews and trailers for this movie, you'd think that this will be a cool cat-and-mouse thriller. And surprisingly, it really is.

Fracture is the twisting story about a young attorney named Willy Beachum(played by Ryan Gosling) in the fast lane to success. Willy is brought into a case where a man named Ted Crawford attempted to murder his wife(Embeth Davidtz) after discovering that she had been cheating on him with the cop that had actually arrested Crawford for the attempt. This Crawford guy is pretty sick and demented, but very clever, and really knows all the rules to play a creepy mind game. When Beachum can not find any evidence proving Crawford is guilty, everything turns into an all-out psychological fight for proof. Cleverly titled Fracture, referring to a break or breaking point, Crawford tells Beachum that he will find Beachums weak spot, and will break him down.

Ryan Gosling. What a year for him- nominated for his first Academy Award for his powerful role in Half Nelson (which was excellent- go see that too) and now puts on another pitch perfect performance in Fracture. I don't think this performance will go unnoticed, and he really proved himself as one of the best actors in his generation. Amazing.

And what about Anthony Hopkins? He was nothing less than excellent for his role as the psychotic Teddy Crawford. I think that there will be no fans of Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal disappointed by his performance. Very creepy.

Not only is this film packed with drama, excitement, and suspense, it is also dusted with just enough humor to make it one of the most supremely entertaining movies of the year. Hopkins' quick wit and Gosling's humor jump off screen and brings the whole audience to many laughs.

All around, Fracture is a superior psychological thriller that keeps you guessing. I loved it, and I'm sure millions more will too.

*p.s.- about an hour and a half into the movie, watch David Strathairn's character when he goes to Beachum's house. His car is parked in one direction, and then when he goes back to it, it's in a completely different direction. i just thought i'd throw in that goof. =]*


Fracture is the story of Ted Crawford (Hopkins), a rich engineer who shoots his wife after discovering she is having an affair. When the police arrive, he confesses and hands in his weapon, and the case is passed on to hotshot DDA Willy Beachum (Gosling), who sees this, his final public service trial before he moves onwards and upwards, to be a slam-dunk case; but alas, thanks to Crawford's mind games, things are not what they seem and the case undergoes a series of twists and turns as Crawford and Beachum engage in a tense battle of wits.

The most obviously noticeable thing about Fracture is the how well-polished it all is. The whole thing looks so...expensive. The cars are expensive. The phones are expensive...even the cutlery during the Thanksgiving dinner scene looks expensive. Beachum seems to wear a new suit in every scene, and even the outdoor location shots look glossy; South California looks like it has been lacquered up especially for the camera lens.

It's all very smooth, well edited, cleverly shot, and well-paced, but without these two actors, this movie would have been nothing more than a glossy second-rate courtroom "thriller". Hopkins and Gosling take it to the next level with great lead performances. Hopkins clearly enjoys playing this sort of manipulative role, controlling events, making sly remarks, and winking in that very obviously shifty way, and he gets to drive flashy cars and live in a big house while he does it, which I imagine only increases the amount of fun he has. Similarly, the cockiness arrogance of DDA Beachum allows Gosling to strut around, make wisecracks, and generally be a smug git. While the Hopkins-Gosling clashes make the movie, they are ably supported by David Straitharn, Rosamund Pike, and Billy Burke, who all inject a bit more life and background into the film.

While the ride is comfortable for the most part, Fracture slips a gear towards the end; the shift from murder mystery to moral crusade feels a little bumpy, but nonetheless, strong performances and great artistic direction make Fracture a stylish, clever and enjoyable thriller that's definitely worth a look.


If you like courtroom dramas, appreciate excellent acting and an expertly-filmed movie this is for you. Only once, I think, have I ever proclaimed something "best movie of the year" and all that, because it's all too subjective and also a cliché but that's how I feel about this movie unless something better comes along the last few months of 2007.

This is just a fabulous movie with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling playing battling characters who engage in a battle of wits. Hopkins plays a husband who discovers his wife having an affair, shoots her, confesses the same night and then has things cleverly arranged where it's almost impossible to convict him. Gosling plays a young, hotshot prosecuting attorney on his way to bigger and better things with a change of scenery to corporate law but gets stuck with this open-and-shut case right before he switches firms. The trouble is, it's a lot more than he figured and he isn't used to losing. Hopkins knows this, of course, and plays on his vanity.

Gosling evolves from a me-only lawyer to someone who really wants justice, even if it costs him. Both characters are cocky and smart and the twists and turns just add to the fun.

I enjoyed watching all the actors performances and was very impressed. The camera-work by Director Of Photography Kramer Morgenthau should also be recognized, along with director Gregory Hoblit, who seems to direct very entertaining films ("Frequency," "Fallen," etc.)

I could have watched this story unfold for another two hours and would have been happy to do so, am I'm not one to sit still for long periods these days. That's how good this was....just Grade A film-making and storytelling.


The character played by Anthony Hopkins tells a story in the film to Ryan Gosling. The story is about sorting eggs on a farm when he was a boy and about putting aside 300 eggs that all had minute cracks or imperfections. The moral is that everything has a weakness if you look closely enough. Hopkins is using the story to warn Gosling that his near perfect conviction record is about to be tested like never before.

I caught an advance screening of 'Fracture' and am counting myself among the lucky. 'Fracture' showcases two terrific performances. The first is Ryan Gosling who plays a hot shot Assistant District Attorney on the verge of joining a very lucrative private law firm. He's only got one case left to handle and, although it looks like a slam dunk on paper, he'll soon find it to be a bit more formidable than he first thought.

The second great performance is Sir Anthony Hopkins. Stealing every scene he's in with charm, humour and menace, Hopkins turns in one of his most enjoyable performances of recent years. Hopkins plays the accused in Gosling's last case and goes out of his way to give Gosling a very bad day. The battle of wills between the two leads is central to the movie and their combat is electrifying.

One of the main questions in the movie is the location of the murder weapon. The film quite explicitly shows the crime of the film and how it is carried out in the first ten minutes of the movie. It seemed obvious to me where the gun was (although my friends told me after the film they had no idea). For my part, knowing where the gun was didn't hurt the film at all because although Gosling's battle to solve the case and get a conviction are certainly a core part of the film, 'Fracture' works better as a character study. Both leads are over-flowing with pride. Both believe themselves to be as flawless as the eggs from the story are supposed to be, but both will come to realize that they have micro-fractures too. This movie is about their arrogance and ultimately about how they deal with the discovery that perfection is a little more elusive than they thought. 'Fracture' shows all seven deadly sins at work and places Pride as the deadliest -- all else springs from it.

'Fracture' has a great score, a terrific script and dynamic characters who are believable in everything they do. This is a rich and highly enjoyable film. I fear it might get lost in the shadow of huge summer blockbusters like Spiderman 3 which is really a shame -- totally engaging little gems like this are why I love movies. 'Fracture' is well worth your time and the price of admission.


I expected a lot from this movie, and it didn't deliver.

The plot, worth a B- in a scriptwriting class, pitted the complex villain played by Anthony Hopkins vs. all the one-dimensional good guys.

I wonder, where were the viewer's sympathies supposed to lie? Mine were with the villain. Because Mr. Hopkins was the best actor? Perhaps. But perhaps moreso because his character was the best drawn, the smartest, and the most emotionally complex.

Before he shoots his wife, who has just returned home from a weekend's assignation with her lover (who later turns up as the policeman dispatched to the house as a hostage negotiator), Hopkins' character tells her he loves her. She, cold as ice, tells him, "I know." Her lover, in the scene just before, had just told her pretty much the same thing, and her response had been equally cold.

So, I had no sympathy for her.

Her policeman/lover is cheating on his own wife and kids, responds unprofessionally at the scene of the crime and by taking Hopkins' confession despite blatant conflict of interest, and later plants fake evidence. He came off less as a distraught lover than an unscrupulous and incompetent sleaze.

I felt no sympathy for him, either.

And then there is Beachum, the lawyer: smug, conniving and ambitious. The best that can be said for him is that he refuses to take the bait of the faked evidence.

But he seemed much less smart than he thought he was, and so I wasted no sympathy on the lawyer, either.

Hopkins' was the character I was rooting for because Hopkins' was the only character with any depth, with more than a single dimension.

I wanted to see him prevail and was extremely disappointed when he did not.

And I don't usually side with the bad guys. I never sided with Mr. Hopkins' Hannibal the cannibal, for example. And I don't see the similarities that some reviewers do between that role and the one he plays in this film. I believe that if his wife had said she loved him, or seemed in any way conflicted, he would not have shot her.

No, I only side with the bad guys when their motivations are actually honorable, for this truly was a matter of "honor" in an old-fashioned sense, and/or when the good guys are no more than cardboard cutouts.

All in all, Fracture was nowhere near as well written or as satisfying as an episode of Law and Order.

But it's a huge credit to Mr. Hopkins that he did not simply phone in his performance in this film as Sam Waterson so often does on L&O. Hopkins, in fact, turned in a much better performance than the material deserved.

I give it six stars only because of the talented Mr. Hopkins. Leave out his performance, and it merits only three.


There are three kinds of murder mystery/thrillers in this world. Obvious ones, Clever ones, and ones that try to be clever but have too many plot holes, red herrings, and omitted bits of information for anyone to see the ending before it happens. This film falls into the third category. Had we known that Hopkins' character had bought a gun that was identical to a police model, we would have known what happened from the beginning but we weren't even allowed to see the gun until near the end of the film when Ryan's character pulls together the pieces of the plot.

So much was wrong with this film: Anthony Hopkins reprises much of his Hannibal Lector persona but without all the crazy. Ryan Gosling isn't believable as a lawyer with prospects of being head hunted by a major firm. Ryan still looks like the 'kid next door' type. Ed Norton has the same kind of looks but Ed can turn on the smoldering sexuality when he needs to, Ryan tries but just ends up looking like a horny pool boy. Ryan's love interest was completely unnecessary to the film and was only irritating. Worst of all was that the 'clever' plot line that was supposed to be the diabolical plot of Hopkins' character was nothing more than a series of lucky coincidences, the most unbelievable of which was that the wife never told her lover what her name was or where she lived.

In the real world, the due process of police investigation and court procedure would have clarified many of the plot holes. An officer can not fire his gun without accounting for each and every bullet, he also writes a report after every event that would have shown he had put his gun down while he turned his back, which he wouldn't have done to start with. Worst of all, the trial would not have occurred without a pretrial and would never have gone to trial without a murder weapon with the added issue of the police officer being involved with the victim and the husband signing a confession without legal counsel.

In other words, this whole film is complete fantasy and would never happen from the first plot hole to the last.


Mildly entertaining but only for Hopkins on screens. Rest of movie was dreck. Subplot with the corporate law firm was a complete waste of time.

I didn't understand why Crawford fired the pistol through the window. What was the purpose of that and didn't this provide ballistic evidence when those bullets were retrieved? Now the big holes...

Crawford had to check the make of the Nunally's sidearm well in advance to purchase an identical pistol.

Is it possible that Nunally might have noticed a difference between his personal sidearm (nicks, scratches, general feel) and the "identical" replacement weapon? Why didn't Nunally (or anyone else) think it unusual that the murder weapon was the exact same pistol that he himself carried? How did Crawford know that his wife would not have divulged her identity to Nunally at some point in their liaison? Assuming that the only ballistic evidence was in the wife's head, how could Crawford know in advance of the shooting that it would not simply pass thru, at such close range, or that the bullet could not be surgically removed or that his wife would not have died from the shooting? Any would provide ballistic evidence that Nunally's pistol was the murder weapon.

The big, big hole. How did Crawford know that Nunally would be the officer arriving on the scene? Is he the only homicide detective in town? It all falls apart if anyone else shows up.

Raised by Gosling, but unanswered in the plot, why did Crawford remove his wife from life support when he could have simply left the country for good as a free man.


Remember the Fractured Fairy Tales from the Bullwinkle Show? Well, if you do, linger on that thought for a few moments and you'll garner far more pleasure than if you drive to the megaplex and watch the newest incarnation of Hannibal Lecter, aeronautical engineer, taking on one of the new kidz, Ryan Gosling, doing his twitchy Diane Keatonish imitation of Steve McQueen as Bullitt, but without the action.

In fact, the movie is devoid of any action at all that isn't not only predictable, but juvenile. This movie never reaches above the Weekly Reader level in terms of plot, characterization, motivation or devices. Five minutes into the movie, I knew the Big Secret. Ten minutes in, I knew this was going to be a long slow ride with no bumps or fresh air. It's a flaccid copy of Jagged Edge, but without the jagged edges. It's the Postman Rings Once, Then Walks Away. Even the big visual motif of the rolling ball machine is never explored satisfactorily. We see a sidelong image of a ramp, then parts of a wheel, but never get to see the ball do anything worth watching. Kind of like a Goldberg machine constructed by Rube's untalented brother Fredo.

The backstories of Hannibal and Diane are inane and tired at best. Hopkins plays an engineer whose wife is carrying on with a cop in such a manner to facilitate his revenge fantasy. In fact, the very basis of this fantasy is fantastic, and I don't mean that in the good sense. It's beyond belief. So many coincidental states of being are piled into a heap at the beginning of this fifth-grade writing exercise that one more would cause the entire mess to break through to the basement where the nursery school kids are studying Grimm. Example One: the cop is a hostage negotiator assigned to the district where Hopkins lives. Example Two: the wife and cop don't know each other's last names. Example three: the cop leaves his gun lying around when he plays with the wife.

Gosling is conveniently trying to leave the prosecutor's office and join a corporate law firm, which adds bulk to the movie as pulp is added to orange juice. It's supposed to be good for you, but isn't really very pleasant. The loose plot threads this allows to be picked up are so nebulous that the cloth is in danger of ripping through at the slightest pressure like flimsy truck-stop toilet paper, giving the film-goer a nasty case of brownfinger.

Facilitating the plot mangle are such miserable devices as these: when the wife is shot in the face with a Glock .45, she doesn't die; the homicide detective and Gosling happen to use the same model cell phone (which triggers the lamest Eureka moment in the history of cinema); Gosling spills coffee on his suit right after his tux is delivered for the party he's suddenly invited to that happens to be at the Disney Center and this all allows Hopkins to suddenly divine Gosling's "point of fracture," from which the movie takes its name (and makes no sense), like the "tell" scenes in Rounders and Casino Royale; and finally Hopkins, devilishly clever and brutal, happens to need to talk a lot for some reason.

I could go on and on, taking perverse pleasure from dissing this awful movie with great production values, but that would allow it to take up too much of my time, and it's done enough of that already in the mere watching. I thought Grindhouse was a hoot but not worth another attendance, being a concatenation of two lousy movies in an amusing fashion, but I'd rather sit through three hours of that movie a second time than watch this one for the first.

I'll end on this note -- Fracture would be a modest movie of the week on television if this were still the 80s. It could be an episode of Murder, She Wrote. It could star Raymond Burr and be popular among older viewers. But it can't be a good movie in 2007. Why it's being so well reviewed is not really a mystery to me, just a disappointment. Even the Hill Street cameo in Fracture is pointless and unsatisfying. The best part of the experience was watching the trailer for the remake of Hairspray with John Travolta taking Divine's role as Edna Turnblad, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma von Tussle. Now that's going to be a movie worth watching.


It's wrong. It's just wrong. What a waste of everyone's time. The actors, the crew, the audience.

The script has a nice, tight little package showing how Crawford got away with it. Leave it alone. Just walk away. But, NO! They couldn't do that could they? Even the movie "Double Jeopardy" got it wrong. The legal rule of double jeopardy applies to not being able to be tried twice for THE SAME CRIME! In "Double Jeopardy" she was trying to correct a mistake of the court system (see "People Will Talk" 1951 which will properly explain the whole thing.) When she killed her husband for a second time, it was a DIFFERENT CRIME  no double jeopardy applies. Now "Fracture" comes along and says now that she's dead we can try you all over again. Guess what? They can't! It's still the SAME CRIME! Just because you now have a different result doesn't make it a different crime. If this were true everyone who had ever put someone in a coma and then the victim died some years later could be retried. They can't. Why couldn't the filmmakers invest in one hour of a criminal attorney's time? It would have saved them lots of grief.

And what's this business about claiming "now we have the bullet?" So what? All that proves it that the bullet came from Detective Nunnally's gun. Crawford says "I don't know how he did it but somehow Detective Nunnally shot my wife. It's his gun. Oh, the video of me going into their hotel room? That's not me. Prove it." And just how was Crawford supposed to pull this slight of hand trick with switching the guns back? Their guns were twenty-five feet apart in the ensuing scuffle. Remember, they each laid them aside before talking? Are we really supposed to believe that Crawford ran to the front door, switched the guns and ran back again while Nunnally was agonizing over the body? Possible maybe. Plausible no.

Beacham's futile attempt at a stay on pulling the plug on Crawford's wife  why didn't it occur to him to use the telephone? A call from the District Attorney's office saying "I have a stay and it will be delivered shortly" would in real life have been enough. Just drop this whole part of the storyline. It makes no sense.

Speaking of making no sense, what happened to Nikki Gardner? She just melted away.

The excuse that Hollywood has a responsibility to show that crime is always punished? Hundreds of movies have broken this code since the early fifties. So what's new? Other than that, good movie. Should have just stopped right after the trial, followed by a narrated epilogue giving some plausible explanation as to how the guns got switched and informing us that Ryan Gosling and Rosamund Pike live happily ever after. The audience can live with that. But this Deus Ex Machina ending just won't fly.


This is an excellent police procedure movie where the police procedure was fatally flawed. Director Gregory Hoblit keeps everything right on track, Anthony Hopkins does his patented Hannibal Lecter routine as the villain, Ted Crawford, and Ryan Gosling is admirably low key as our hero, Willy Beachum (I'm sure the name is not a pun).

Ted is a structural flaw finder who is born for the job. He finds flaws in whatever disaster has befuddled the federal or state investigators. He tells poor Willy that he can find the flaw in anything. Willy asks if Ted is looking for Willy's weak spot and gets the answer he doesn't believe:

Ted: I've already found yours.

Willy: What is it?

Ted: You're a winner, Willy.

Willy: Yeah. Well, I guess the joke's on me then, isn't it?

Ted: You bet your ass, old sport.

The thing that interested me is that we're then set up for the classic Greek tragedy.* Willy has his weak spot and is Ted going to be able to exploit it? You bet your ass, old sport. The plot is all laid out for us, the issue is whether Ted can pull it off, and we squirm, giggle, and gloat as Crawford sinks himself deeper into a hole from which he can seemingly never extricate himself until he pulls the rabbit out.

Willy had set himself up to work at a high-powered private firm, leaving the DA's office to its poorly paid, humble public servants. Because of the way Crawford has set things up, Willy sacrifices the high-paid job to try to save the case (and his ass) and fails. Since this is a modern movie, Willy of course has the opportunity to turn things around, and Ted gets his comeuppance, but Hoblit keeps even that moving so that we aren't sure Willy can bring it off.

I was really impressed with Gosling, who manages to portray a character who is brilliant and manipulative in is own right without making Willy a conceited ass. Hopkins plays psychopaths better than anyone else these days, but I'm hoping he doesn't get stuck in only those rolls. If you have a strong stomach, I recommend seeing him in "Titus," the 1999 movie directed by Julie Taymore.

*In ancient Greek tragedy, the rule was that the hero of the play had to have a tragic flaw. The flaw had to be something that was good in the right measure, but that our hero had too much of. Excessive pride, for example, was referred to as hubris. The gods were particularly punishing to heroes with too much pride. In ancient Greek tragedy the hero never won, by the way. Willy would have taken the fall and been miserable for the rest of his life.


Fracture is a solid but flawed courtroom drama/thriller that offers terrific acting and a compelling story, but it also suffers from typical "Hollywood-izing" that undermines the ending to the point of complete incredulity.

*spoilers* The filmmakers, who up until the last act have fashioned a terrific cat-and-mouse game between Hopkins and Gosling, took the easy way out and turned Hopkins from a clever genius into a bumbling fool. When Gosling's boss (aka his conscience) tells him, "If it makes you feel any better you let a man get away with ATTEMPTED murder," I (along with many others I am sure) knew how the movie would end. But it was not true to Hopkins' brilliant character that he too would have thought of this major loophole. A man who ingeniously constructs such an intricately plotted way to get away with the crime doesn't think about the fact that he can be tried again? Not buying it.

I spent a lot of time criticizing this one fatal flaw, but overall I am still giving the movie a 7, because the rest of it (with the exception of the tepid romantic subplot) was so good and so effective. I just wish the filmmakers would have delivered an edgier ending and not stuck with the Hollywood conventional wrap-up.


This is a great mystery with superior acting. At the beginning of the film we see Ted Crawford - beautifully played by Anthony Hopkins - who is obviously a brilliant man. His hobby is designing part Rube Goldberg, part perpetual motion devices that use steel balls that travel intricate routes. We also get a quick insight into his huge ego. He's not a lovable guy.

We also find that his wife who is exhausted by trying to kowtow to Ted's massive ego is in the midst of an affair. She has kept her identity a secret to her lover, but discovers that her affair is no secret to her husband just before he shoots her in the head. This all takes place in the Crawford's home, and Ted remains there until the SWAT team and negotiator arrives. At that point he readily confesses to the crime and later signs a confession.

We next meet Willy Beachum, played by Ryan Gosling, who is with the district attorney's office. However, Willy will not be around for long as he has just accepted a position with a prestigious law firm. Circumstances arise - engineered by Ted - causing the judge to assign the murder case to Willy. Needless-to-say, the case is not the slam dunk that Willy perceives it to be, and thus we have a battle of wits between Ted and Willy whose ego is just about as huge as Ted's though he is a slight bit less obnoxious - although not by much.

Obviously, it would be inadvisable of me to disclose the mystery that interferes with the quick resolution of the case and the other elements of the plan so masterfully concocted by Ted. I read one review by a man who said he had figured out the ultimate mystery before the climax of the film. He's a much smarter man than I.

Apart from the mystery, the enjoyment of this film comes from the superior acting of the two main characters. Anthony Hopkins certainly has a way of excellently portraying brilliant homicidal men, and he gives us a delicious one in this film. I would have not thought that Ryan Gosling could do as well as he did in his part. His performance is a pleasant surprise - for me, at least.

Finally the DVD offers us a look at two alternate endings. I usually don't think the alternate endings change the film much, but the decision to change to the final ending makes this film so much better by strengthening the one big mystery of the film.

If you're into mysteries and great acting, give Fracture a spin.


Overall i thought that this film was very good. Hopkin's character may have many similarities to his character Hannibal Lecter but all in all i found it enjoyable. It is a clever thriller which leaves you guessing till the end. You think Crawford's going to get away with it, which i wanted him to, until the last minutes of the film. This film might not be the greatest ever but it has something that makes you want to watch it again and again. Maybe its the chemistry between Crawford and Beachum. Whatever it is, it is there and it made me watch the film multiple times and it doesn't get boring. Anyone who hasn't seen it yet really should. It is worth a watch at the very least.


This movie doesn't work on several levels. Spoilers to follow. If you haven't seen Fracture, don't read this review. And Spoilers for Ocean's Eleven to follow, come to think of it. So if you haven't seen that movie, don't read this review. But back to Fracture:

Here we have a brilliant man who has thought of everything to get away with murder. Let's believe that he actually can see the weak point in everything and everybody. Let's believe that he predicts what seems like random behavior and coincidences. Let's believe that he was lucky and even the unpredictable factors played to his advantage. Why would he miss the obvious hole in his plan? It just doesn't make sense. Either he's infallible, then he would have wiped his fingerprints off the bullets in Nunally's gun and he would have let his wife live... OR he's not and his whole plan wouldn't have gone as far as it did in the first place. But having him set up as the man who could beat the devil himself in a chess game - only to let him stumble over such a stupid detail... that's just sloppy screen writing.

On another level, the casting works against the movie. Anthony Hopkins plays the role with diabolical delight. He is by far the most charismatic actor in the whole film, and his character is the most intelligent person as well. And in letting the victim have an affair with the unlikable lieutenant, the audience has a hard time not to identify with Hopkins. In a way, the film makes it seem like he deserves to get away with murder. Especially in contrast to the arrogant young lawyer, a cocky young a-hole that would sell his own mother to get that high-paying job at a soulless law firm. Now nothing against Ryan Gosling, I think you need a lot of talent to intentionally be that unlikable. But it should be consistent. The film didn't need a Saulus-to-Paulus change. Beachum had his chance to come out as the winner (actually, he had that chance twice), but he blew it out of arrogance. Letting him win kind of defeats the purpose.

The first 80 minutes are a wonderful film. The arrogant young lawyer loses his job, the betrayed husband gets away with murder thanks to his superior intelligence. And he should. But then the film continues. And the whole thing falls apart. Imagine Ocean's Eleven if George Clooney and his gang got caught in the end? It just wouldn't work. And neither does Fracture.


I did not figure out how Crawford hid the missing evidence until the last scene of the theatrical ending. Now, I don't like obvious foreshadowing in films, like when the camera dwells far too long on the item you're supposed to take notice of. However, I would have appreciated a *little* clue, even if it didn't represent itself as a clue. The flashback montage provided during the explanation contained scenes that were not even actual scenes from the film. The alternate ending where Beachum compares the photographs is easier to buy, but the theatrical ending depicts Beachum as pure genius. I agree, the love scene was ridiculous. I thought Nikki would have been more evil...I mean, what kind of boss sleeps with their employees? Oh yeah, the skanky kind. Anyway, Gosling's facial expressions were PERFECT throughout: The "Yeah, so what?" or "Oh crap!" looks were awesome.


The two leading characters in this film played by Gosling and Hopkins really grasped my interest. They were both engaging in a way that made me hang on to every word they said. Their war of wits with each other was a pleasure to watch. Gosling is refreshing and held his own against the brilliant Hopkins.

With that said, the plot is quite a stretch. Hopkins kills his wife with a well-thought out, yet highly unlikely plot, which is only believable because Hopkins' character is so intelligent. But, at the same time, the plot is so unbelievable because Everything and I mean everything goes just as he has planned it. In the real world, in the heat of a murder, you would have to believe something would happen NOT according to plan. Something! Anyway, Hopkins faces Gosling in a war of wits in the courtroom. Gosling is a hotshot prosecuter who has never lost a case. Hopkins is simply a genius.

However, and do not read this part if you don't want to spoil the ending, Gosling baits Hopkins at the end. Hopkins was acquitted with attempted murder and for some reason, the genius he is, doesn't realize that once his wife is now dead from her coma, he can be charged with murder. So, double indemnity is off the table. Sure he would have realized this...this guy who set up this unbelievable complex crime and then acted as his own lawyer and got an acquittal. Hmm.

Anyway, I am rating this movie a 7 of 10 because it was entertaining to see Hopkins act as the super smart bad guy again and to have Gosling match wits with him just as well as Jody Foster did. If you think about this film and its plot holes and cheesiness of the copying of Hopkins' previous roles, then you lose respect for it. This will inadvertently happen to you if you ponder this movie AFTER watching it. With that said, in the throes of watching this film, you can be taken in. It can be entertaining. Not a great film. Mildly good. Rating 7 of 10 stars.


Anthony Hopkins once again plays a killer who is playing games with the authorities - not dissimilar to his role in Silnce of the lambs except he doesn't eat people in this film.

Ted Crawford knows his wife is having an affair with a policeman and so he shoots her through the head! Trouble is this killer is clever and despite acting ignorant in court knows how to play the system. He is up against Willy Beecham an eager young DA.

While the film wasn't sleep inducing it was hardly thriller of the year stuff, the storyline was slow (painfully at times), There was no suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat, no gripping storyline, and no action.

OK if you have nothing else to watch but not one to highly recommend


Good movie, except, and this is a big except. When Anthony Hopkins is acquitted, you then seen him at a window, in the jail?, retrieving his personal belongings. One item is the gun. I'm sure when he went to jail and he had the gun on him, they said, "Oh, OK Mr. Crawford, we'll just hold this for you until you get out." Nobody thought him bringing a gun to jail and the jailers handling it like it was his wallet was a problem? An then, they give it back to him? Excuuuussssseeeee me! What happened? And this is big in the movie. If the gun is not back in his drawer, then Ryan Gosling never retrieves it and Hopkins gets away, scott free. It was a nice plot twist about the switching of the guns, but to have it miraculously returned by the prison when he leaves, basically made the movie a bit unbelievable.


This film should be used as a training film for wannabe actors. Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling and Joe LaBruto all pull off stellar performances in this character-driven how-to-prove-who-done-it. The plot device is simple. Engineer Ted Crawford (Hopkins) shot his wife. We saw him do it. He made very little effort (apparently) to hide it. Surely an Assistant DA headed into big time private law firm will have no trouble proving it. What the ADA, Willy Beachum, does not realize is that one of the first responders to the apparent hostage taking and shooting at the Crawford home was detective Robert Nunnally, whose affair with the shooting victim is what drove Crawford to commit the crime in the first place. The cat and mouse between Beachum and Crawford game that ensues requires strong acting performances to carry the story along. Fortunately, Gosling was up to the challenge of appearing alongside Hopkins. The two men played off one another brilliantly and moved the story along to its foreseeable twist ending. The subplot concerning Beachum's contemplation of the lucrative offer from the gigantic law firm, complete with romantic interest, is not so well done, but generally this is an entertaining film carried by the spell-binding interactions of the two leads.