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As Beachum encounters these unexpected turns in the case, he has to make hard choices. After all, the movie's underlying theme is about discovering a person's flaw and exploiting it until he/she cracks. Will Crawford push Beachum over the edge? It's a scintillating mental game. But the tough thing asked of the viewer is that for most of the film, neither man seems worth rooting for. Beachum almost seems like a young Crawford without a gun. Until a big moment when he finally shows his moral mettle, it's hard to see that either of them are actually "the good guy."

The dialogue between Gosling and Hopkins make for compelling cinema

At the same time, Beachum's eventual moral victories do ground the film's ending—especially when he realizes that maybe he belongs in his public servant job more than he realized. These themes are subtle and perhaps tacked on, but it seems that Beachum finds his new motivation for doing his job. Once about self-promotion and advancement, it's now about justice. The movie has an unfortunate message that any lawyer going into private practice is selling their soul, but still the simple rewards of doggedly seeking the truth seem celebrated. At one point, Beachum asks the D.A. how one can live with letting a murderer go free.

The D.A. says, "You learn to."

Beachum answers; "I don't want to."

Whether he's just headstrong or a dogged fighter for justice, Beachum continues to fight. And that's good—because it gives us more scenes of Gosling vs. Hopkins.

Talk About It

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 encourages believers to "Test everything. Hold on to the good." In Fracture, Ted Crawford tests everything—and is able to find fault in it all. "If you look hard enough," he says, "everyone has a weak spot." Is there such a thing as being too discerning? Too skeptical/cynical? Can testing too much be a fault? Why or why not? What would Crawford's definition of "good" be?
2. The D.A. tells Beachum it's normal to get used to watching guilty men walk. How have you "gotten used to" injustice or just accepted injustice as part of life? Is it naïve to think, as Beachum does, that he can prevent becoming desensitized to injustice?
3. Why do you think Beachum stays on the case? To clear his reputation? To find success in a huge case? Or really to seek justice? When do his motivations change? Why do you think that?

The Family Corner

Fracture is rated R for language and some violent content. There's persistent profanity that uses about every word in the book—including taking the Lord's name in vain. There are disturbing scenes of a man shooting his wife and a suicide (both actually occur off screen). There's also a brief sequence of quickly edited and abstract—though erotic—shots of nude bodies pressed together. In addition, there's much discussion of adultery and couples sleeping together outside of wedlock.

Photos © Copyright New Line Cinema

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