This movie features star power in the two leading roles with Gerald Butler and Jamie Foxx who face off against each other as lawyer and defendant. The film begins with a very powerful scene featuring Butler's character Clyde watching his wife and daughter get slain in cold blood after he is tied up and stabbed. He survives, and seeks revenge against the perpetrators through the court system. This opening scene rallies the audience to Clyde's cause for justice against these murderers.
Clyde's high priced top notch lawyer is played by Jamie Foxx's character Nick Rice. Nick makes a deal to put away a highly coveted criminal that has been alluding justice by negotiating a shorter sentence for the man responsible for the death of Clyde's family. This infuriates Clyde and sets him on a personal vendetta to bring justice to the criminals and take down the corrupt judicial system.
Jamie Foxx and Gerald Butler both turn in convincing and compelling performances in their roles in which the script pits them against each other. The dialogue between the two stars create the most dramatic scenes in the movie, and the parts that resonate with the audience the most. Viewers can feel the tension between the characters and are drawn into the developing plot that surrounds the duo.
Overall, Law Abiding Citizen is entertaining til the end. It is not going to wow anyone to try and nominate this film for an Academy Award, but it is worth a view. It features an interesting and swiftly moving plot, some very powerful scenes and good direction by F. Gary Gray, two dynamic performances from the main characters, and some moments that will blow your mind because of the shock of what just happened. If you have some time to check out a movie at the theater, consider this one. Especially if you are fans of Butler or Foxx excellent as forceful adversaries.
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