Primal Fear (1996) FILM SCAN --[ EDITING ROOM ] SCENE 360

“Primal Fear ” (1996)
Film Review by Julia Dudnik-Stern

I am not a big fan of Richard Gere. I recognize his achievement as one of Hollywood's most enduring leading men; however, his performances are usually not earth-shattering. Indeed, he is good-looking, charismatic, and highly skilled, but I think most would agree that he is best suited to certain types of roles, such as the part of the now-famed mogul he played in "Pretty Woman" (1990). On the flip side, his portrayal (or, more accurately, accepting the role) of Lancelot in "First Knight" (1995) still makes me shudder. I tend to blame the director for this particular faux pas: First, Lancelot is supposed to be a boy, and Richard Gere is. ohh, a couple of decades too old, especially opposite the exquisite and appropriately cast Julia Ormond. Second, whose decision was it to let Gere speak with an American accent throughout a film that strives for authenticity in every other aspect?

But I digress. Billed as a Gere film at the time, "Primal Fear" was not high on my list of must-see releases. Furthermore, I had read William Diehl's best-selling novel on which the movie was based, and liked it enough to read its sequel. It is rare for a book, no matter how good, to be translated to the screen successfully. Add to this the rather divided critic reviews, and by the time I did see "Primal Fear," I was biased — only to end up being pleasantly surprised, although not by the film's overall quality.

"Primal Fear" the movie was based on a novel by the same name, written by a prolific best-selling author William Diehl in 1993. Diehl's real life is no less interesting than his novels; he began writing at the age of following a successful career as a photographer and journalist. His first novel, Sharky's Machine, was followed by Thai Horse, The Hunt (formerly titled 27), Hooligans, Chameleon, and Primal Fear. The latter spurred two Martin Vail sequels, Show of Evil (which is recommended reading for those who liked Primal Fear, as Show of Evil picks up where Primal Fear leaves off) and Reign in Hell. Diehl's latest novel, Eureka, is being released in February 2002.

The screenwriters adopt Diehl's storyline relatively well. Martin Vail (Gere), a hot-shot criminal defense attorney who cares about winning more than he does about justice, takes on the case of Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), an altar boy who appears to be guilty of killing an archbishop — beyond the shadow of a doubt, on the physical evidence alone. Yet there are plenty of skeletons to be unearthed: The victim seems to have had an affinity for child pornography. He was also hated by the district attorney for ruining a multimillion-dollar business deal. And there might have been another person at the scene of the crime. All in all, this is another "whodunit," but with a twist.

Gere fits: He is, once again, in his "Pretty Woman" element, a cut-throat man who finds a conscience somewhere along the way of trying to build a defense. His transformation — from the limelight-hungry butt of all the lawyer jokes to a man who begins to believe his client's innocence and desperately wants to save him — is one of the things to which director Gregory Hoblit has paid a lot of attention. The problem is, we've seen this Gere before, and will surely see him again. And will probably remain unconvinced all the same.

Well-known and acclaimed for producing and directing award-winning television shows "Hill Street Blues" and "LA Law" alongside Steven Bochco, Gregory Hoblit made his big-screen directorial debut with "Primal Fear." Compared to his groundbreaking work in TV, it wasn't a grand entrance. Hoblit's next project, "Fallen" (1998), starred Denzel Washington and gave the director another chance to work with established actors and try his hand at a different genre, a supernatural thriller where a cop is haunted by a serial killer's spirit hopping from body to body the way we hop from one bar to another on an uneventful Saturday night. The premise of "Fallen" was definitely unusual and interesting, yet it didn't manage to obtain a marked level of critical or public acclaim. Hoblit continued experimenting, moving to science fiction with his 2000 release of "Frequency," which I would consider his best film thus far. Yes, it is a little on the sappy side — a police detective finds a way to communicate with and save the life of his now-dead firefighter father. However, the plot is innovative; the film moves at a quicker pace and is more cohesive as a whole than Hoblit's previous projects, and its stars (James Caviezel as the son and Dennis Quaid as the father) are well-suited to their roles. Today, Hoblit is finishing "Hart's War," an intriguing take on the courtroom drama set in a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp. The film is scheduled for theatrical release in March 2002.

The character of Janet Vennable, the prosecuting attorney in this case and Vail's quasi past-present love interest, leaves something to be desired. It is played by the capable Laura Linney who, having landed her first leading role in the bomb production that was "Congo" (year), has progressed nicely to roles in higher-caliber films, delivering my favorite performance as Clint Eastwood's daughter in "Absolute Power" (1997). Regrettably, the part of Vennable lacks character definition and doesn't capitalize on Linney's talents. Much the same can be said for several other fine actors playing secondary roles.

Photos © Paramount Pictures

By now, you are probably wondering why we've chosen this production for a feature review. It isn't original. It drags at times; it is mostly predictable, and the star cast is largely underutilized. But there is a hidden treasure in this pile of nothing: The reason to see "Primal Fear" is Edward Norton, whose portrayal of Aaron Stampler has catapulted his career from zero to the speed of light practically overnight. In fact, Norton carried this film on his unknown shoulders, stealing scenes and overshadowing every other actor, including Gere. It is no surprise that today this film is often referred to as a "Norton movie." In this aspect, "Primal Fear" is a rare treat, as it offers a glimpse of the moment when an aspiring actor becomes an institution. Luckily, the highly-overrated Leonardo DiCaprio dropped out of the running for the role of Stampler.

Some would argue that in context of the script, Norton got the one truly plump role, hence his stellar performance. Yet his subsequent meteoric rise to his current stature as one of the most sought-after method actors dispels any such notion: Norton is the real thing, then and now. In "Primal Fear," he is helpless, pleading for his life, and claiming to have blackouts. A little further into the plot, you meet a different and much more menacing guy, Stampler's alter ego, who could have committed this monstrous murder. But of course, he has multiple personality disorder.

Normally, one could correctly guess the "surprise" ending somewhere in the middle of this film, but Norton manages to make the viewer wonder: Did Stampler do it? Who is he, really? Does he need psychiatric help, or should he be put away for life? While nothing really happens, the ending is explosive — not exactly atomic, and nowhere near as impactful as the ending (or ALL) of Diehl's original literary creation, but to me, Norton's performance made it worth watching. It also earned Norton an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. One day, the critics will refer to "Primal Fear" as "vintage Norton." Some probably do so already.

Read more about the actors

Although Richard Gere needs no introduction, it is interesting that such a long career has not resulted in more recognition than the Theatre World Award for his portrayal of a homosexual Holocaust victim in "Bent" (a 1980 Broadway show) and the dubious honor of being named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1999. In all fairness, Gere has done much that deserves acknowledgment, starting with the lead role in the now-classic "American Gigolo" which made him a star. Read more.

“Lorenzo’s Oil” (1992) offered Laura Linney her first big-screen (although not big-scope) role. At about the same time, Linney landed the lead in the controversial yet praised television series, “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City,” where she played Mary Ann Singleton, San Francisco’s newest resident who wasn’t all that comfortable with the sexual revolution of the 70s. Read more.

Since his appearance in “Primal Fear” (1996), Edward Norton’s work continued to earn him countless awards, including another Oscar nomination for Best Actor for “American History X” (1998), a disturbing tale of a reformed skinhead who tries to save his younger brother from following the same path. Despite endless accolades bestowed upon him by his colleagues and the general public, Norton doesn’t seem to let all this attention go to his head. Read more.