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Overview

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Primal Fear, 1996

Starring: Richard Gere, Edward Norton

Directed by: Gregory Hoblit

Written by: Steve Shagan

Language: English

Country: USA

Runtime: 129 min

MPAA Rating:

Rating:7.7

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Profile of Primal Fear

The mood of Primal Fear is tense, clever, and stylized. The plot centers around a character with a split personality, a hotshot lawyer, and a legal investigation. It is a drama, thriller, and crime movie. Stylistically, Primal Fear involves twists and turns and is talky. In approach, it is serious and realistic. The setting is Chicago. Primal Fear happens in the 1990s. The movie is known for being an award winner and critically acclaimed. Note that it includes violent content.

Summary of Primal Fear

Powerful, media-hungry Chicago defense attorney Martin Vail (Richard Gere) gets in over his head when he takes the case of an altar boy (Edward Norton making his film debut) accused of murdering an archbishop. His opponent for the prosecution is his former protege and lover Janet Venable (Laura Linney), who's out to make this her watershed case. A suspenseful courtroom with a truly unexpected ending, this drama is based on the novel by William Diehl.

Details

Language:	English
Country:	USA
Release date:	3 April 1996
Runtime:	129 min

Cast and Crew See all

Richard Gere

as Martin Vail

Edward Norton

as Aaron Stampler

Photos See all

Primal Fear (1996)

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Primal Fear: Trailer

Critics Reviews See all

Variety

The major jolt is saved for the very end but, like much else in the film, it is overexplained and underlined when more simplicity and quiet would have provided the revelation with the power of a depth charge. Full Review

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by: Todd McCarthy

Entertainment Weekly

Gere taps into his charismatic-weasel mode, but director Gregory Hoblit fills the big screen with excellent TV actors (Andre Braugher, John Mahoney, Maura Tierney) and then gives them nothing interesting to do. Full Review

|
by: Ken Tucker

Users Reviews See all

I just watched it again. Even though it wasn't quite as compelling as the first time, I still really enjoyed it. Norton is awesome. Gere is great. There are some weaknesses in the plot I didn't catch before. Still its a wonderful ride. Read and rate it

11.April.2009
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by: ScottyT
ScottyT rated this movie8/10Great

Excellent psychological thriller

This is a clever and intriguing thriller. What really makes the movie is Norton, in his very first appearance in a feature film. His character is very complex. The ending solves all the confusion with a great resolution. Read and rate it

17.August.2008
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by: noam.ben.shmuel
noam.ben.shmuel rated this movie8/10Great

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