Released: April 20th, 2007
Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.
Ticket Price: $5.00 Early Matinee
Refreshments: Swedish Fish
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, David Strathairn, Rosamund Pike and Embeth Davidtz
Directors: Gregory Hoblit
Rating: Worth a Rental – 
Synopsis: A man finds that his younger wife has been cheating on him and plans to kill her. When the cops arrive at his home, he lets one cop in and admits that he shot his wife. He gets arrested and the case is given to a hotshot in the district attorney’s office to prosecute. It looks to be a slam-dunk. It turns out not to be so easy, as nothing is as it seems.
Review: Fracture is a slowly paced psychological thriller with a great cast, but a less than stellar plot. It is supposed to have many twists and turns throughout, yet when they arrive you are already there to greet them. The story is pretty easy to follow and set up well. It is the payoff that doesn’t quite measure up. As is stated in the movie, “If you look closely enough, you’ll find everything has a weak spot where it can break” and Fracture itself, is just more proof that the statement is true. You won’t even have to look that close.
Anthony Hopkins (Instinct, Silence of the Lambs) is great as the mastermind executing his plan to getaway with murdering his wife. Watching his character manipulate those that are around him is fun to watch. There are even a few one-liners that are pretty funny. He really plays the creepy smart guy very well.
Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, Murder by Numbers) is also very good as the hotshot prosecutor on his way out to take a job in the private sector at a big law firm. He plays him with just enough quirks and zeal to be believable and keep you interested.
The rest of the cast make the most of their time on screen, which isn’t all that much. Embeth Davidtz (The Emporer’s Club), as the cheating wife, spends most of the movie in a vegetative state at the hospital, but is beautiful to watch, as always, until her character gets shot. David Strathairn (We Are Marshall, Good Night, and Good Luck) as the head of the district attorney’s office has great presence on screen. Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day) is good, as the boss at the new firm, but her character doesn’t serve much purpose other than as a love interest for our hero. And, in true Hollywood style that means they only have to meet once briefly, barely talk a couple more times and then are enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at her family’s house after they end up in the sack one night.
That was just one of the “weak spots” in Fracture. The other was the overall plot, while it is a good idea, the twists, not so much. Early on, you will find yourself thinking you know what happened. Then you will be almost positive what went on. Then you will be absolutely sure how it was done. Then you will be waiting for the characters on screen to catch up. When they finally do, you will be vindicated because you were right, but wish that you weren’t. As with a horror movie that doesn’t make you jump or a comedy that doesn’t make you laugh, a psychological thriller where you know what happened long before the hero does is less than thrilling and not what you paid to go see.
Fracture is a two star story with a one star plot twist and three star acting, making it a two star viewing experience and worth catching down the road at some point via Netflix or your favorite rental outfit.
What did you think of Fracture?
Hopkins plays a great baddy in the movie, he plays it with a slight Hannibal edge. Also look out for Pike she’s good it in as well but you make a good point about her character which isn’t really essential to the story.
Anthony Hopkins Fan, Hopkins pretty much plays a great anything.
One of his best movies – certainly amongst the top 20.