Das perfekte Verbrechen

The beginning promises to be a very well-made film, but it fades a bit as time goes on. Anthony Hopkins has incredible charisma and I was rooting for him until the very end. Ryan Gosling could have given more of himself, but he was still watchable. This is definitely an above average film, but it falls short of perfection due to a lack of suspense and the ability to engage the viewer. Exactly 4 stars. (11.12.2011)

Amazing courtroom thriller. The central duo of Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling is absolutely spectacular and each of their encounters has a dark and disturbing edge, complemented by intelligent dialogue. Hopkins' planning will take your breath away. For me, I'm very satisfied, I love these films. 80%. (21.12.2014)

I shot my wife. Prove it. This is a slogan that promises an interesting storyline. Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. These are names that indicate quality acting performances. Gregory Hoblit. This is a director from whom one can expect at least quality craft, if nothing else… Fracture undoubtedly has the potential to be a really good thriller. In essence, it did not fail in any of the above areas. Although the subject is not explored to its fullest extent, the plot is still interesting and suspenseful enough. Neither actor plays the role of his lifetime here but their performances are sufficient. The movie’s greatest asset are the joint scenes where the actors play “face to face". Hoblit shot it all technically well (albeit somewhat unimaginatively), but the camerawork and music skillfully enhance the impression. Overall, Fracture is probably not worth a second viewing, but it has enough enjoyable moments in the course of the movie to make it feel like it wasn’t a waste of time watching it. That’s not too bad for another of the endless series of court dramas, is it? (11.08.2007)

Gosling and Hopkins's scenes together are an absolute treat, you could almost cut that tension. The rest is wadding, with one completely useless character (Gosling's boss/girlfriend Nikki) whose only "role" is to stretch the time to at least 112 minutes, the plot itself and the verbal duels of the two main protagonists barely making it to half the runtime. The film has some strong moments that stem from the acting skills of the two leads, but as a whole it is forgettable and mediocre. (23.10.2007)

The atmosphere is excellent, Hopkins is simply brilliant as a rich man and Gosling is very believable. The highlight of the film are the dialogue scenes between the two mentioned acting sensations, which have a very addictive charge and brilliantly sharp lines. Unfortunately, the basic structure of the story is already a bit cliché, and even though the director tried to skate around it by adding some unpredictable and unusual element, he didn't succeed. Despite its hints of uniqueness, I’d label this film as pleasantly watchable, just don't expect anything new. (24.12.2008)