'The Lincoln Lawyer' Film Vs the Novel - Disappointing Effort or Worthy Adaptation?

Like many people, I love a good story. At the same time, I always feel a certain anxiety when a good book is snatched up for a Hollywood adaptation. It seems there's an ongoing war between people that 'liked the book more,' and those that 'preferred the movie.' It's unfortunate that the demographic is so split on this issue, but this is practically unavoidable. The fact of the matter is, it's extremely difficult to perfectly adapt a several hundred page novel into an accurate cinematic portrayal.

The "Harry Potter" films are a great example of trying to be true to the source material. While some films like "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" stumbled in this regard, the series still had an impressive, loyal run. This brings us to the Matthew McConaughey film, "The Lincoln Lawyer." Was Matthew McConaughey the right choice for Haller? Would they do the plot justice? Would they condense key parts of the novel? Would they lobotomize the characters? Like many, I was worried.

Based on the hit crime novel of the same title, "The Lincoln Lawyer" is a fascinating story of innocence, corruption, and self-examination. It appeared to fans to be a stretch when romantic comedy guru, Matthew McConaughey, was cast the titular character- but he did not disappoint. That's not to say Matthew did an amazing job, but he certainly proved himself capable of doing justice to a serious story. Despite this, there were some key differences in both character development and plot execution that hurt the experience. The one to suffer most is the main character himself- Haller.

While still clearly the lawyer from the novel, Haller has a reduced personality in the film. His past isn't nearly as key to the events of the film and the demons he battles on a personal level are lessened. While it's possible some attention to his favorite pastimes ended up on the cutting room floor, it would have been nice to see some of his quirky traits in the film. Would it have been so hard to show his appreciation for hip hop music?

The film retains much of the urgency and tension of the novel, but stumbles when it comes to one other key character. The district attorney and court rival to Haller, Minton, is absolutely ruined. I, like many fans, loved to hate this smug weasel of an attorney. To see him reduced to a friendly face that's just doing his job hurts the overall drama of the film. I can imagine that this creative decision was meant to alleviate some of the tension over right and wrong in the court room, but it does weaken the experience.

While the film itself is very enjoyable, it really lacks the over-arching direction of the novel. In the film, Haller comes across as someone slightly confused, indecisive, and mildly conflicted over his obligations to his client, Roulet. In the novel this inner moral conflict is at the forefront of Haller's characterization. How can he wholeheartedly defend a man who is not innocent?

Reflecting on his past and using this self-examination to grow into a better man is the driving force behind Haller's development. The lack of this focal point really causes the film to branch off into some uncertain territory. While I would have liked to see some of these issues ironed out before the final cut of "The Lincoln Lawyer," it was still an admirable effort and one that I applaud.