Fracture [DVD]

Courtroom drama starring Anthony Hopkins. Engineering tycoon Ted Crawford (Hopkins) is a meticulous man in all things but, when he shoots his wife for stepping out on him, he may have taken on more than he can control. He confesses to the crime, gains the right to represent himself in court and moves to trial as soon as possible. The prosecutor is Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) - a young, upwardly mobile lawyer soon to join a reputable firm and start his big earning years. Beachum believes the case is a cake walk but Crawford has a few details up his sleeve that'll put the young attorney firmly on the back foot. For example, the arresting officer was the man his wife had been having an affair with. The thrust and parry of Beachum and Crawford in the courtroom provide the meat of the film. The confident Crawford waxes grandiloquent like George Galloway in front of congress as Beachum slowly, steadily, takes it on the chin but homes in on the essence of Ted's game.