# Lincoln Lawyer - how to screw up a novel in one easy lesson **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lincoln-lawyer-how-to-screw-up-a-novel-in-one-easy-lesson/589494 "2011-07-18T20:58:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lincoln-lawyer-how-to-screw-up-a-novel-in-one-easy-lesson/589494/1 "2011-07-18T20:58:47Z")
Michael Connelly arguably writes consistently good legal drama in his novels. _Lincoln Lawyer_ was a good read, with enough plot twist to keep it interesting. So filmdom decides to stink up the screen with Matthew McConaughey and Marisa Tomei (who, I think, literally mailed in her scenes). Then they take liberties with the plot and advertise the movie as being about a lawyer who does business from his car. Not even close. McC just comes across as a smarmy drunk. How this thing got 83% on Rotten Tomatoes is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lincoln-lawyer-how-to-screw-up-a-novel-in-one-easy-lesson/589494/2 "2011-07-20T17:41:02Z")
I thought it was fun and entertaining but 1) I never read the book and 2) I dislike Marisa Tomei so I expected her to be resoundingly mediocre. The whole lawyer-from-a-car thing was a little off but I thought generally it was McConaughey’s best performance to date. The plot was great, if the book is even better that’s encouraging. Reese Witherspoon’s ex-husband turned in his best performance to boot (I had to google for him – Ryan Phillipe). ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lincoln-lawyer-how-to-screw-up-a-novel-in-one-easy-lesson/589494/3 "2011-07-20T18:19:10Z")
I read the book and enjoyed it so much, I’m now reading the Harry Bosch novels (about the Lincoln Lawyer’s half brother, who is an LAPD detective). I"m enjoying those too. I saw the movie and enjoyed it a lot. I didn’t feel like MMc came across as a smarmy drunk at all. I would have liked it if the movie showed why he was the bikers’ lawyer; which the book goes into more detail on if I remember correctly; but otherwise I really like the movie. What liberties did they take with the plot that ruined it for you? ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lincoln-lawyer-how-to-screw-up-a-novel-in-one-easy-lesson/589494/4 "2011-07-21T00:09:04Z")
Never read the book, but enjoyed the movie. It wasn’t a great work of art, but it entertained for a couple hours.