Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Director:

F. Gary Gray

Writer (WGA):

Kurt Wimmer (written by)

Release Date:

16 October 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The System Must Pay

Plot:

A frustrated man decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family's killers free. He targets not only the killer but also the district attorney and others involved in the deal.

Plot Keywords:

Justice | District Attorney | Murder | Deal | Philadelphia

Cast

Jamie Foxx	...	Nick Rice
Gerard Butler	...	Clyde Shelton
Colm Meaney	...	Detective Dunnigan
Bruce McGill	...	Jonas Cantrell
Leslie Bibb	...	Sarah Lowell
Michael Irby	...	Detective Garza
Gregory Itzin	...	Warden Iger
Regina Hall	...	Kelly Rice
Emerald-Angel Young	...	Denise Rice
Christian Stolte	...	Clarence Darby
Annie Corley	...	Judge Laura Burch
Richard Portnow	...	Bill Reynolds
Viola Davis	...	Mayor
Michael Kelly	...	Bray
Josh Stewart	...	Rupert Ames

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody brutal violence and torture, a scene of rape, and pervasive language.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45572) | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Canada:18A (Alberta/Manitoba) | UK:18 | Ireland:18 (original rating) | Norway:15 | Finland:K-15 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | South Africa:16LV | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Ireland:16 (re-rating on appeal) | Malaysia:18PL | Hong Kong:IIB | Canada:18A (Ontario) (re-rating) | South Korea:15 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Overture Films

Trivia:

At one point Frank Darabont was attached to direct.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Clyde gives Nick and his legal team until 6:00 to release him the camera shows the clock turning to 6:00 for dramatic effect. Then seconds later when nothing has happened yet Sarah's watch is five minutes fast. (This may be a deliberate error made by the filmmakers if her character simply keeps her watch fast.)

Quotes:

Clyde Shelton: That's what a wrench is for, dumbass!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Jay Leno Show: (#1.19)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Mr. Tambourine Man

Law Abiding Citizen is a thrill ride

This film is gory, but the gore is mostly suggested rather than shown. You can make up your own mind as to how gory you want it to be. Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) and Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) are excellent as "frenemies." They still sympathize with each other, in a way, as each teaches the other a lesson. Butler is excellent as the crushed father and husband who believes he must use his unique skills and talent to make an example of a justice system that has forgotten the victims. You sympathize with him even as he enacts his vicious lesson plan upon Foxx's coworkers. Foxx is an arrogant self-serving assistant district attorney who is only concerned with his conviction rate as he claws his way up the ladder in the justice system. He has forgotten the victims. But when he has a family of his own, he begins to see Clyde's point, yet he cannot give in to all of Clyde's demands to stop the carnage. Beautifully films in a noir tone with excellent timing on the stunts and effects. Law Abiding Citizen is an adrenaline-pumping experience. Bring your heart meds.