Primal Fear (1996)

Don’t let anybody tell you how this one ends, and don’t look it up either. For most of its 129 minutes, Primal Fear is a pretty standard courtroom drama. Richard Gere plays Martin Vail, a defense lawyer who loves a camera more than the truth, and Gere is so smooth he basically glides between scenes. Laura Linney is sharp and tired as the prosecutor who used to date him, and their sparring is fun. There’s also a murky subplot about city politics and a land deal that never clicks. Then there’s Edward Norton. He plays Aaron, a stammering altar boy accused of a terrible crime, and he’s so convincing that the whole movie tilts toward him every time he walks into a room. Frances McDormand adds calm, smart support as the doctor digging into his past. It made $102.6 million worldwide on a reported $30M. A 7.7 because the setup is ordinary and Norton turns it into something people still talk about. $823 says you start it over the same night just to watch one performance with fresh eyes.

What works: Edward Norton gives a jaw-dropping, slippery performance, and Laura Linney makes the courtroom sparring crackle.

What doesn’t: The political and land-deal subplot is murky and slow, and Richard Gere’s lawyer is more charm than character.

Who it’s for: Courtroom drama fans and anyone who loves a final scene that makes them rethink the whole movie.