if you like courtroom drama and appreciate excellent acting and an expertly film movie this be for you . only once and i think and have i ever proclaim something best movie of the year and all that and because it all too subjective and also a cliché but that how i feel about this movie unless something well come along the last few month of 2007. this be just a fabulous movie with anthony hopkins and ryan gosling play battle character who engage in a battle of wit . hopkins play a husband who discover his wife have an affair and shoot her and confess the same night and then have thing cleverly arrange where it almost impossible to convict him . gosling play a young and hotshot prosecute attorney on his way to big and good thing with a change of scenery to corporate law but get stick with this open and shut case right before he switch firm . the trouble be and it a lot more than he figure and he isn not use to lose . hopkins know this and of course and and play on his vanity . gosling evolves from a me only lawyer to someone who really want justice and even if it cost him . both character be cocky and smart and the twist and turn just add to the fun . i enjoy watch all the actor performance and be very impressed . the camera work by director of photography kramer morgenthau should also be recognize and along with director gregory hoblit and who seem to direct very entertaining film ( frequency and fall and etc . ) i could have watch this story unfold for another two hour and would have be happy to do so and be i be not one to sit still for long period these day . that how good this be . just grade a film making and storytelling .