Law Abiding Citizen

Last updated
Law Abiding Citizen
Law abiding citizen ver5.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by F. Gary Gray
Written by Kurt Wimmer
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Jonathan Sela
Edited by Tariq Anwar
Music by Brian Tyler
Production
companies
Distributed by Overture Films
Release date
  • October 16, 2009 (2009-10-16)
Running time
118 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$53 million [1]
Box office$127.9 million [2]

Law Abiding Citizen is a 2009 American vigilante action thriller film [3] [4] [5] directed by F. Gary Gray, written by Kurt Wimmer, and starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler (who also co-produced). The film takes place in Philadelphia, telling the story of a man driven to seek justice while targeting not only his family's killer but also those who have supported a corrupt criminal justice system, intending to assassinate anyone supporting the system. Law Abiding Citizen was filmed on location in Philadelphia, and released theatrically by Overture Films in North America on October 16, 2009.

Contents

The film grossed $127.9 million worldwide but received generally negative reviews from critics. Despite this, it was nominated for a Saturn Award as the Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film of the year, as well as NAACP Image Award nominations for both Foxx (Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture) and Gray (Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture).

Plot

During a home invasion, Clarence Darby rapes & murders the wife and daughter of engineer Clyde Shelton, who is forced to watch. Prosecuting attorney Nick Rice is unable to convict Darby due to mishandled evidence. Unwilling to risk lowering his high conviction rate, he makes a deal with Darby; he testifies against his accomplice Rupert Ames (who only intended to steal from Clyde) so he is convicted and sentenced to death, while Darby pleads guilty to third degree murder and receives a lighter sentence. Clyde feels betrayed by Nick and the justice system.

Ten years later, during Ames' execution via lethal injection, he surprisingly dies in agonizing pain. The police find the chemicals had been tampered with and evidence left behind implicates Darby; an anonymous caller warns him law enforcement are on their way to arrest him. Following the caller's instructions, Darby hijacks a police car, forcing a lone officer to drive to a deserted warehouse. The officer is revealed to be Clyde, the caller. Darby attempts to shoot Clyde, but instead the gun paralyzes Darby with tetrodotoxin-coated spikes. Clyde then straps Darby to a table and makes medical preparations to prolong Darby's suffering, recording himself slowly dismembering and eventually murdering Darby. When Darby's remains are found, evidence ties his death to Clyde; Clyde willingly surrenders and goes to prison.

In prison, Clyde demands a new mattress in his cell in exchange for a "confession." Nick initially refuses, but after learning that Clyde traumatized Nick's family with the video of Darby's murder, District Attorney Jonas Cantrell orders Nick to make the deal. In court, Clyde represents himself and successfully argues he should be granted bail, but instead berates the judge for accepting the legal precedent he cited, believing the judge too easily convinced and eager to release potential criminals; Clyde is then denied bail and also jailed for contempt of court.

After giving Nick his confession, Clyde demands an elaborate steak lunch from Del Frisco's and a music player be delivered to his cell by a specific time, in exchange for the location of Darby's now-missing lawyer. Nick agrees, though the lunch is delayed a few minutes courtesy of the warden's security measures. Once he has his meal, Clyde provides the coordinates to the lawyer's location, but Darby's lawyer still suffocates inside a box due to a time-mechanized device. Meanwhile, Clyde kills his cellmate after sharing his meal, forcing the warden to secure him in solitary confinement.

Cantrell and Nick meet Bray, a CIA contact who knows about Clyde's past employment with the agency; Clyde's CIA employment consisted of eliminating nearly impossible targets. They are warned Clyde can kill anyone anytime he wishes and that his imprisonment may be part of a bigger plan. Bray finishes the meeting by suggesting to Nick and Cantrell that their best option is to kill Clyde. During a meeting with Nick and Cantrell, the judge is killed by an explosive hidden in her cell phone. Clyde explains to Nick that the murders are not about revenge, but the failures of the justice system. Clyde demands his release and all charges dropped to end the killings.

Nick takes precautionary measures instead, moving his entire team to the prison to work throughout the night. After Clyde's deadline passes without incident, Nick releases his team. While walking to his car, a number of Nick's assistants are killed in car bombings, including Nick's assistant Sarah. Nick privately meets with Clyde, beating and yelling at him in frustration that, if they had tried to convict Ames and Darby, they might have gone free. Clyde counters that Nick is apathetic and that if he had at least tried but failed, Clyde would have accepted it. Nick demands an end to the killings, but Clyde responds that he is just beginning. While leaving Sarah’s funeral, Cantrell is killed by a weaponized bomb disposal robot. Nick prepares to resign, but the irate mayor instead promotes Nick to acting District Attorney and locks the city down.

Nick learns that Clyde owns a building near the prison. A tunnel inside leads to a cache of guns, disguises, and other equipment below the solitary confinement cells, with secret entrances to each cell. Nick realizes that Clyde intentionally sought solitary confinement, allowing him to leave the prison undetected and kill while misleading the police. Evidence points to Clyde's next target, City Hall, where the mayor is holding an emergency meeting. Nick and his men fail to find Clyde, instead discovering a suitcase bomb planted in the room below the meeting.

Clyde returns to his cell and is surprised to find Nick waiting for him. Clyde suggests another deal, but an enlightened Nick replies that he no longer makes deals with murderers. Nick tries to reason with Clyde, but Clyde activates the suitcase bomb. Nick immediately leaves, locking Clyde's cell behind him while Dunnigan closes off the secret passage. Hearing the ringtone of the detonator, Clyde discovers the bomb Nick hid underneath his bed. Clyde briefly smiles and returns to his bed, looking at his daughter's bracelet as the bomb explodes.

The epilogue shows Nick watching his daughter in a musical stage performance, an event which he previously had difficulty finding time to attend.

Cast

Development

Gerard Butler was initially signed on to play the prosecuting attorney, while Jamie Foxx was the criminal mastermind operating from inside prison, [6] a reversal of their roles in the final version.

Frank Darabont was expected to direct the film, but he left production due to creative differences with the producers. [7]

Production

Filming began in January 17, 2009 and took place in and around Philadelphia. [8] Filming locations included Philadelphia's City Hall, Laurel Hill Cemetery [9] and the now closed Holmesburg Prison. Holmesburg's "Thunderdome command center" is quite evident in the movie.

The film was edited after being threatened with an NC-17 rating for violence, [10] with the full version released unrated on Blu-ray.

Soundtrack

The score to Law Abiding Citizen was composed by Brian Tyler, who recorded his score with a 52-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Sony Scoring Stage with help from Kieron Charlesworth. [11] The film also uses "Eminence Front" by The Who and "Engine No. 9" by Deftones on Clyde's iPod while he is eating his steak in his cell. While Clyde calls Darby to help him 'escape' the police after Ames' execution, "Bloodline" by Slayer is Darby's ringer. The tune at the end for closing credits is "Sin's A Good Man's Brother" by Grand Funk Railroad.

Release

The film was released theatrically on October 16, 2009 in the United States. [12] The first theatrical trailer was released on August 14, 2009, and was attached to District 9 . [13]

The premiere was held on November 15, 2009, at the Cineworld complex in Glasgow, Butler's home town. Many British tabloids labeled the event as the "Homecoming Premiere", in reference to the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations. [14]

Reception

Box office

Law Abiding Citizen grossed $73.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $54.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $127.9 million. [2]

The film took second place in its opening weekend, with $21 million, behind Where the Wild Things Are . It went on to gross $126.6 million in total worldwide. [15]

Critical response

Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported 26% of 162 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The site's critical consensus states: "Unnecessarily violent and unflinchingly absurd, Law Abiding Citizen is plagued by subpar acting and a story that defies reason." [16] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 34 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [17]

In his review for the Chicago Sun Times , Roger Ebert said, "Law Abiding Citizen is the kind of movie you will like more at the time than in retrospect." He then went on to say, "Still, there's something to be said for a movie you like well enough at the time." Ebert rated the film three out of four stars. [18]

Sequel

In May 2022, it was announced that a standalone sequel is in development. Kurt Wimmer was hired to return in his role as screenwriter, while Gerard Butler will serve as producer alongside Alan Siegel, Lucas Foster, Rob Paris, and Mike Witherill. Foster stated in his returning role as a producer that the studios look forward to "revisit[ing] these great characters" stating that the premise "seems even more relevant today than when...the original film" released. The filmmaker stated: "We’re going to blow your mind… again." While the plot has not been revealed, Paris and Witherill jointly stated that the creatives involved, see the movie as a "franchise opportunit[y]." The project will be a joint-venture production between G-Base Productions, Rivulet Films, Warp Films, and Village Roadshow Pictures. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Shawshank Redemption</i> 1994 American film by Frank Darabont

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American prison drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne, who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the following two decades, he befriends a fellow prisoner, contraband smuggler Ellis "Red" Redding, and becomes instrumental in a money laundering operation led by the prison warden Samuel Norton. William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, and James Whitmore appear in supporting roles.

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is a realist novella by Stephen King. It was first published in 1982 by Viking Press in his collection Different Seasons. It was later included in the 2009 collection Stephen King Goes to the Movies. The plot follows former bank vice president Andy Dufresne, who is wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and her lover and ends up in Shawshank State Penitentiary, where corruption and violence are rampant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonnie and Clyde</span> American bank robbers in the 1930s

Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut "Champion" Barrow were American bandits who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The couple was known for their bank robberies and multiple murders, although they preferred to rob small stores or rural funeral homes. Their exploits captured the attention of the American press and its readership during what is occasionally referred to as the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934. They were ambushed by police and shot to death in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. They are believed to have murdered at least nine police officers and four civilians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colm Meaney</span> Irish actor

Colm J. Meaney is an Irish actor best known for playing Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999). He has guest-starred on many TV shows including Law & Order and The Simpsons, and starred as Thomas C. Durant on Hell on Wheels (2011–2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Foxx</span> American actor, comedian, singer, songwriter, and record producer (born 1967)

Eric Marlon Bishop, known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He received acclaim for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the film Ray (2004), winning the Academy Award, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. That same year, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the crime film Collateral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerard Butler</span> Scottish actor and film producer (born 1969)

Gerard James Butler is a Scottish actor and film producer. After studying law, he turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in productions such as Mrs Brown (1997), the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and Tale of the Mummy (1998). In 2000, he starred as Count Dracula in the gothic horror film Dracula 2000 with Christopher Plummer and Jonny Lee Miller.

<i>Collateral</i> (film) 2004 neo-noir action thriller film by Michael Mann

Collateral is a 2004 American neo-noir action thriller film directed and produced by Michael Mann from a script by Stuart Beattie and starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. The supporting cast includes Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, Javier Bardem, and Bruce McGill. The film follows Max Durocher, a Los Angeles cab driver, and his customer, Vincent. When offered a high fare for driving to several locations, Max agrees but soon finds himself taken hostage by Vincent who turns out to be a hitman on a contract killing spree.

<i>The Green Mile</i> (film) 1999 film by Frank Darabont

The Green Mile is a 1999 American fantasy drama film written, directed and co-produced by Frank Darabont and based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Stephen King. It stars Tom Hanks as a death row prison guard during the Great Depression who witnesses supernatural events following the arrival of an enigmatic convict at his facility. David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Sam Rockwell, and James Cromwell appear in supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Darabont</span> American filmmaker

Frank Árpád Darabont is an American screenwriter, director and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In his early career, he was primarily a screenwriter for such horror films as A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), The Blob (1988) and The Fly II (1989). As a director, he is known for his film adaptations of Stephen King novellas and novels, such as The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Green Mile (1999), and The Mist (2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ADX Florence</span> Federal supermax prison located in Fremont County, Colorado, US

The United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility, commonly known as ADX Florence or the Florence Supermax, is an American federal prison in Fremont County to the south of Florence, Colorado, operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice. ADX Florence, constructed in 1994 and opened one year later, is classed as a supermax or "control unit" prison, that provides a higher, more controlled level of custody than a regular maximum security prison. ADX Florence forms part of the Federal Correctional Complex, Florence, which is situated on 49 acres of land and houses different facilities with varying degrees of security, including the adjacent United States Penitentiary, Florence High.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F. Gary Gray</span> American film director

Felix Gary Gray is an American director and producer. Gray began his career as a director on numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning music videos, including "It Was a Good Day" by Ice Cube, "Natural Born Killaz" by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" by Dr. Dre, "Waterfalls" by TLC, and "Ms. Jackson" by Outkast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holmesburg, Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

Holmesburg began as a Village within Lower Dublin Township, Pennsylvania. It is now a neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Holmesburg was named in Honor of Surveyor General of Pennsylvania Thomas Holme, who was a cartographer.

The Irish Mob is a usually crime family–based ethnic collective of organized crime syndicates composed of primarily ethnic Irish members which operate primarily in Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, and have been in existence since the early 19th century. Originating in Irish-American street gangs – famously first depicted in Herbert Asbury's 1927 book, The Gangs of New York – the Irish Mob has appeared in most major U.S. and Canadian cities, especially in the Northeast and the urban industrial Midwest, including Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Itzin</span> American actor (1948–2022)

Gregory Martin Itzin was an American character actor of film and television best known for his role as U.S. President Charles Logan in the action thriller series 24.

<i>Bait</i> (2000 film) American-Canadian action comedy film

Bait is a 2000 American action comedy film starring Jamie Foxx and David Morse. It was directed by Antoine Fuqua. The film was a huge financial failure, costing Warner Bros. $51 million but only grossing approximately $15 million.

<i>The Pelican Brief</i> (film) 1993 American thriller film directed by Alan J. Pakula

The Pelican Brief is a 1993 American legal thriller film based on the 1992 novel by John Grisham. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, the film stars Julia Roberts in the role of young law student Darby Shaw and Denzel Washington as Washington Herald reporter Gray Grantham. The film, which features music composed by James Horner, was the last film that featured Pakula as both writer and director before his death.

Connie Colla is an American former television news anchor and host. She has anchored in San Diego, Phoenix, and Philadelphia, and has filled in on Weekend Today on NBC. Colla also played a television reporter in the movie Law Abiding Citizen, starring Jaime Foxx and Gerard Butler. She now works as a realtor in Scottsdale, Arizona.

<i>Mr. Peek-a-Boo</i> 1951 film

Mr. Peek-a-Boo or Garou-Garou, le Passe-muraille is a 1951 French comedy film, directed by Jean Boyer. The film is based on the short story by Marcel Aymé about a "man who could walk through walls". The film premiered on 6 April 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerard Butler filmography</span>

Scottish actor Gerard Butler has been in numerous films and television series since his on-screen debut in 1997's Mrs. Brown. After taking minor roles in releases such as the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and the horror film Tale of the Mummy (1998), he took the lead in 2000, portraying Dracula in Dracula 2000. Butler co-starred in the films Reign of Fire (2002), alongside Christian Bale, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003), with Angelina Jolie, before playing André Marek in the adaptation of Michael Crichton's science fiction adventure Timeline (2003). Then he was cast as Erik, The Phantom in Joel Schumacher's 2004 film adaptation of the musical The Phantom of the Opera alongside Emmy Rossum, and Butterfly on a Wheel with Pierce Brosnan and Maria Bello. Although these films were important breaks, it was only in 2007 that Butler gained worldwide recognition for his portrayal of King Leonidas in Zack Snyder's 2007 fantasy war film 300. It earned him an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight and an Empire Award for Best Actor nomination. That same year, Butler starred in the romantic drama film P.S. I Love You with Hilary Swank. After appearing in the 2008 films Nim's Island with Jodie Foster and RocknRolla with Idris Elba, Butler took the lead in several 2009 films including the romantic comedy The Ugly Truth with Katherine Heigl and the thriller Law Abiding Citizen with Jamie Foxx.

<i>Copshop</i> 2021 film by Joe Carnahan

Copshop is a 2021 American action thriller film directed by Joe Carnahan and written by Kurt McLeod and Carnahan, based on a story by McLeod and Mark Williams. The film stars Gerard Butler, Frank Grillo, and Alexis Louder, and is set in a small-town police station that becomes the battleground between a hitman, a novice police officer, and a con artist.

References

  1. "Distribution: A Love Story". Screen Daily. 2009-10-08.
  2. 1 2 "Law Abiding Citizen (2009)". Box Office Mojo . IMDB. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  3. "Law Abiding Citizen F. Gary Gray". Exclaim! - Canada's Authority on Music, Film and Entertainment. Law Abiding Citizen, easily the most massively entertaining action thriller since Taken.
  4. "Law abiding citizen". The Age . 28 January 2010. WHAT happens when the good guys start acting like the bad guys? That's the question posed in B-movie terms by F. Gary Gray's entertainingly silly action thriller starring Gerard Butler as the kind of twitchy yet high-minded nutcase who five years ago would undoubtedly have been played by Mel Gibson.
  5. "Law Abiding Citizen to be promoted on Xbox Live". Campaign . Law Abiding Citizen, an action thriller, will be promoted on Xbox Live this month in a three-week push brokered by specialist agency Target Media. The film is out on 27 November.
  6. "FOXX EARNS CITIZENSHIP WITH DARABONT". CHUD. Archived from the original on November 12, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
  7. "Shawshank's Frank Darabont Quit Law Abiding Citizen!!". Ain't It Cool News.
  8. "Viola Davis a 'Law Abiding Citizen'". Variety . January 29, 2009.
  9. Elijah, Andy. "Philly Flix: Law Abiding Citizen". www.cinedelphia.com. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  10. "Law Abiding Citizen - Gerard Butler interview". IndieLondon. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  11. Dan Goldwasser (September 11, 2009). "Brian Tyler scores Law Abiding Citizen". ScoringSessions.com. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  12. "Exclusive Clip, Contest for LAW ABIDING CITIZEN!". Fangoria.com. Archived from the original on 2009-10-16. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  13. "Law Abiding Citizen - Trailer". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on 2010-01-13. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  14. Dingwall, John (6 November 2009). "Exclusive: Scots star Gerard Butler ready for homecoming premiere - and hitting 40". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  15. "Law Abiding Citizen (2009)". Box Office Mojo. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  16. "Law Abiding Citizen (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  17. "Law Abiding Citizen Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  18. Ebert, Roger (October 14, 2009). "Law Abiding Citizen". Chicago Sun-Times . Chicago, Illinois: Sun-Times Media Group.
  19. D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 21, 2022). "'Law Abiding Citizen' Sequel In The Works With Village Roadshow & Rivulet Films". Deadline. Retrieved September 29, 2022.