Today’s quick review: Primal Fear. Richard Gere stars as a hotshot defense attorney who takes on the case of an altar boy, played by a young Edward Norton, who is accused of murdering a priest. The trial unearths a number of secrets in the priest’s life, including shady real estate deals, but Gere is fighting an uphill battle against the physical evidence of the case. What’s more, his simple, stuttering client is hiding a few secrets of his own. Primal Fear is an excellent legal drama that goes heavy on plot twists and character development. The revelations are fast-paced and hard-hitting, alleviating some of the drag typical in legal dramas. The movie is, to a large degree, still limited by its genre: the case is the beginning and the end of the movie, and the world outside of it is secondary. Within these boundaries, Primal Fear manages to set up two very compelling main characters. Edward Norton delivers a jaw-dropping performance as a sweet defendant who is in over his head, while Richard Gere works through all the stages of an arrogant lawyer trying to convince both the jury and himself that his client is innocent. It should be noted that the details of the case are far less interesting than the way they play out in the trial. The movie derives its strength from its plot twists and characters, not the substance of the case or the richness of the universe. Primal Fear is well worth a watch for anyone who enjoys high tension, twisting plotlines and strong acting, even those who normally dislike legal dramas. When you are looking for something tense and heavy, give Primal Fear a shot. 7.7 out of 10 on IMDB.