Fracture (2007)

Elaborate marble runs fill Ted Crawford’s house, tiny marbles clicking down ramps and through loops, in case anyone missed that he’s a man with a plan. Fracture rarely trusts its audience more than that. Anthony Hopkins plays Ted like a cat who already ate the canary, smiling through every hearing as if he wrote the judge’s lines. It’s fun, and it’s also a clever-villain routine he perfected long ago. Ryan Gosling is the better surprise. His Willy is cocky, quick and a lot less clever than he thinks, and watching him realize he’s been outplayed is the real story. The subplot about his fancy new law job and Rosamund Pike’s boss-slash-love-interest belongs to a sleepier movie. The courtroom duels crackle, and the final trick is satisfying if you don’t poke it too hard. It made $92 million worldwide and earned an A-minus CinemaScore. A 6.6 because Hopkins and Gosling make a decent puzzle feel sharp. $512.27 says you spot a marble run in a toy store this year and feel weirdly suspicious of it.

What works: Hopkins and Gosling make a fun mismatch, and their courtroom face-offs have real snap.

What doesn’t: Willy’s law firm subplot with Nikki drags, and Hopkins coasts on a smug genius routine he has done before.

Who it’s for: People who like legal thrillers built like a puzzle box and enjoy watching a cocky lawyer get humbled.