bless with a smart script and stylish direction and first rate performance by anthony hopkins and ryan gosling and fracture emerge a more than just the silence of the lambs knock off it would appear to be on the surface . in a role reminiscent of a somewhat toned down ( i. e. non cannabilistic ) hannibal lecter and hopkins play ted crawford and a wealthy l. a. businessman who shoot his wife when he discover she have an affair with a hostage negotiator . crawford readily admit to the crime and give the police a sign confession and insist on defend himself in court . gosling be willy beachum and a cocky and up and come public prosecutor who take the case believe it will be one last slam dunk victory for him before he move on to big and good thing at a prestigious private law firm downtown . beachum get more than he bargain for and however and when the creepy and unnerving crawford begin to play the legal system for all it worth and tweak the hotshot lawyer by outthinking him and continually knock him off his game . in less capable hand and fracture could easily have be a standard issue and twist and turn courtroom drama and but thanks to the talent involve and it transcend the limitation of it genre . daniel pyne and glenn gers have write a screenplay fill with witty and crackle dialogue and sharply observed insight into the psyche of it two principal character . hopkins and gosling play the cat and mouse game with conviction and gusto and while director gregory hoblit and cinematographer kramer morgenthau use a smoothly gliding camera and a barely perceptible visual distortion at the edge of the picture to highlight the fractured nature of the piece . moreover and the film have a nice l. a. feel to it and a it take u to various interest site around town and include the ultra modern and near surrealistic disney concert hall locate in the heart of the city . there be strong support work by david straitharn ( good night and and good luck ) and billy burke and rosamund pike and fiona shaw ( mountain of the moon ) and among others and but it be hopkins and gosling and lock in a life or death battle of acumen and wit and who make fracture a perpetually compelling and watchable courtroom thriller .