Primal Fear is the kind of movie that will remain in your head and stay there for quite a long while after you've finished watching it. This movie, released in 1996, features Edward Norton and Richard Gere, a psychological drama combined with mystery in a tight format that keeps you on edge throughout.
The story begins with Martin Vail, played by Richard Gere, who is a publicized lawyer in Chicago and takes on difficult cases-those that come with cameras and lights. Martin finds himself defending a young man Aaron played by Edward Norton, accused of killing a bishop in a case which shook public opinion. Aaron is a shy young man who has an obvious mental disorder and says he is innocent; he tells of his tough childhood and life in the church.
From here, we begin to discover the secrets of the case. All the evidence is against Aaron, but Martin is not just an ordinary lawyer. He is well used to playing with loopholes in the law, but bit by bit he starts to feel that there's something more to this, something that the church has managed to keep well-hidden, which certainly does not want to see the light of day. As events unfold, the film takes us along a complex psychological ride, full of twists, shocks, and suspicion.
Edward Norton's performance was pure genius, in the full sense of the word. The character he portrayed was so innocent and afraid, and at the same time, there was something weird that didn't let you know how to take his words entirely. How he handled the confrontation scenes with Richard Gere is one of the moments that make this film an icon.
But mainly, the success was all because of the direction and the script of the movie itself: every tiny little detail was well calculated and added a new dimension to the movie. The end surprises will be the stuff that'll have you walk out of the film in shock-literally having to rewatch it to see every little thing that you've missed.
Primal Fear is not just a movie about a crime, a lawyer, and an accused young man, it's a movie that deals with the human psyche, truth and deception, and just how mysterious and complex a person can be. This movie is a masterpiece that is worth your time, and if you haven't seen it yet, you should put it on your list immediately.
