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77% Critic Match
Primal Fear
“Sooner or later, a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real.”
7.7 / 10• 1996• 2h 10m•R• English
CrimeDramaThriller
Storyline
Defense attorney Martin Vail takes on jobs for money and prestige rather than any sense of the greater good. His latest case involves an altar boy, accused of brutally murdering the archbishop of Chicago. Vail finds himself up against his ex-pupil and ex-lover, but as the case progresses and the Church's dark secrets are revealed, Vail finds that what appeared a simple case takes on a darker, more dangerous aspect.
Cast & Crew
Richard Gere
Martin Vail
Lead
Laura Linney
Janet Venable
Edward Norton
Aaron Stampler / Roy
John Mahoney
Shaughnessy
Alfre Woodard
Shoat
Frances McDormand
Molly
Terry O'Quinn
Yancy
Andre Braugher
Goodman
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Gregory Hoblit's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
4.0
“Every frame feels alive. Primal Fear is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
