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Primal Fear

"Sooner or later, a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real."

1996-03-06 Crime 2hr 9m

An arrogant, high-powered attorney takes on the case of a poor altar boy found running away from the scene of the grisly murder of the bishop who has taken him in. The case gets a lot more complex when the accused reveals that there may or may not have been a third person in the room.

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Storyline

An arrogant, high-powered attorney takes on the case of a poor altar boy found running away from the scene of the grisly murder of the bishop who has taken him in. The case gets a lot more complex when the accused reveals that there may or may not have been a third person in the room.

  • Released
    1996-03-06
  • Revenue
    $102,600,000
  • Budget
    $30,000,000
  • Runtime
    2hr 9m
  • Genre
    Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English, Español
  • imdb-logo
    0
  • Production
    Paramount Pictures, Rysher Entertainment

Crew

Gregory Hoblit
Director
Gary Lucchesi
Producer

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for Primal Fear
reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2022-06-30

I was never the greatest fan of Richard Gere, but this is certainly one of his better performances. He is cocky lawyer "Vail", adept at ensu... read more

I was never the greatest fan of Richard Gere, but this is certainly one of his better performances. He is cocky lawyer "Vail", adept at ensuring his criminal fraternity clients evade justice. When the shocking news that an archbishop has been savagely murdered is announced, he decides on a bit of pro-bono work to defend the young "Aaron" (Ed Norton) against the prosecuting skills of his ex-girlfriend "Janet" (Laura Linney). As the courtroom drama unfolds, though, we soon establish that there are undertones that call into question not just who did what to whom, but also the integrity of the victim and of many of his well-connected associates. The film belongs to Norton, though. As his character develops, with the assistance of probing psychologist "Molly" (Frances McDormand), we discover that there are quirks to his character that this actor delivers superbly. So much falls into place in the last ten minutes, or so, before a denouement that is both unexpected and perversely quite fitting. It is a bit too long, and takes maybe half an hour before it starts to simmer; but once the plot starts to advance in earnest, this becomes a superior crime thriller with twists, turns and strong performances throughout.

reviewer avatar

A Review by RalphRahal 8

Written by RalphRahal on 2024-12-14

Primal Fear is a masterclass in tension, turning a courtroom drama into a high-stakes thriller under Gregory Hoblit’s sharp direction. Th... read more

Primal Fear is a masterclass in tension, turning a courtroom drama into a high-stakes thriller under Gregory Hoblit’s sharp direction. Then there’s Edward Norton, in his very first role, who makes such an impression it’s no surprise he went on to win over 15 awards including a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. Playing Aaron, a timid altar boy with hidden depths. Richard Gere holds his own as the slick defense lawyer, Norton’s layered acting and the intense chemistry between them make this movie unforgettable. Primal Fear goes beyond a typical courtroom drama, serving up suspense, stellar performances, and production.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by CinemaSerf

I was never the greatest fan of Richard Gere, but this is certainly one of his better performances. He is cocky lawyer "Vail", adept at ensuring his criminal fraternity clients evade justice. When the shocking news that an archbishop has be...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2022-06-30

I was never the greatest fan of Richard Gere, but this is certainly one of his better performances. He is cocky lawyer "Vail", adept at ensuring his criminal fraternity clients evade justice. When the...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by RalphRahal 8

Written by RalphRahal on 2024-12-14

Primal Fear is a masterclass in tension, turning a courtroom drama into a high-stakes thriller under Gregory Hoblit’s sharp direction. Then there’s Edward Norton, in his very first role, who makes ...

read more