Primal Fear

1996 Drama

A high-profile slaying becomes the case of an ambitious attorney's career in this legal thriller based on the novel by William Diehl. Richard Gere stars as Martin Vail, a famed defense lawyer who volunteers his services to Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), a Kentucky teenager charged with the murder of a Chicago archbishop. Covered with blood, Aaron was captured after a foot chase broadcast live on TV, making a gleeful Vail certain that he could raise his profile by defending the obviously guilty suspect. Assigned to prosecute is Assistant District Attorney Janet Venable (Laura Linney), who is Vail's ex-girlfriend. Vail's case becomes more complicated than he expected when a psychologist, Dr. Molly Arrington (Frances McDormand) concludes that Stampler suffers from multiple personality disorder. Vail also uncovers evidence that the archbishop was involved in a corrupt land scheme and may have molested young parishioners. Now the cynical, opportunistic attorney is faced with a daunting prospect, a client who may actually deserve his best defense. Its shocking, twist ending made Primal Fear (1996) a big box office hit and earned Norton, in his screen debut, an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. more..

Director: Gregory Hoblit

Starring: Richard Gere,Edward Norton, Laura Linney, Alfre Woodard, John Mahoney

 26 Reviews  16 Awards

Reviews

  • Riveting.

    Peter Stack - The San Francisco Chronicle

    26 April 2013

  • The plot is as good as crime procedurals get, but the movie is really better than its plot because of the three-dimensional characters.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    26 April 2013

  • As a forum for its actors and for the big-screen directorial debut of multi-Emmy winner Gregory Hoblit, the film is up to the job.

    Mike Clark - USA Today

    26 April 2013

  • Gere taps into his charismatic-weasel mode, but director Gregory Hoblit fills the big screen with excellent TV actors (Andre Braugher, John Mahoney, Maura Tierney) and then gives them nothing interesting to do.

    - Entertainment Weekly

    26 April 2013

  • The sky-high sleaze quotient -- lascivious priests, amateur porn movies, teenage hustlers and institutionalized corruption of every kind -- ought to guarantee fun for all, but heavy messages keep poking through and spoiling everything.

    - TV Guide

    26 April 2013

Awards

  • Top Box Office Films

    ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards (1997)

  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role

    Academy Awards (1997)

     

  • Best Supporting Actor

    Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (1997)

     

  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

    BAFTA Awards (1997)

     

  • Best Supporting Actor

    Boston Society of Film Critics Awards (1996)

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