'The Lincoln Lawyer' Review: Mickey Haller's return to Netflix is breezy and enjoyable

Mickey Haller returns with a breezy Netflix series filled with an extraordinary performance by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and others
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller in 'The Lincoln Lawyer' (Netflix)
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller in 'The Lincoln Lawyer' (Netflix)

Michael Connelly’s ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ is considered to be one of the finest legal thrillers of this generation. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Hollywood keeps on making tackling the source material in new ways. Netflix has joined the bandwagon to bring Mickey Haller to its streaming platform with the latest series ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as the titular character.

The show focuses on the life of the LA-based lawyer named Mickey Haller who has not entered a courtroom after an accident injured him badly. However, the mysterious death of one of his colleagues brings him back into the game. He wrote in his will that after his death, all his law practice will go to Haller, including the infamous Trevor Elliott (Christopher Gorham) murder case. One of the things that are different this time around is that the character is much more mainstream and it’s not as dark as the 2011 movie. 

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The series was supposed to air on CBS, but the network canceled the series and Netflix picked it up for a 10-episode series. Things take a bit of time to hit their stride, but that doesn’t mean that the show is boring. Absolutely not, it always keeps you hooked and you want to know what will the master lawyer do next. In the series, Haller is covered up in a pile of cases, but it’s all about whether Trevor Elliott killed his wife Lara or not. Throughout 10 episodes, we see Haller going through a lot of things and as soon as the trial starts, it’s really difficult to take your eyes off of the screen.

Christopher Gorham as Trevor Elliott and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller in 'The Lincoln Lawyer' (Netflix)

The previous projects based on Connelly’s novel have all been gritty and filled with strange characters. This is where Netflix is different from its predecessors. It is a dramedy version of Connelly’s books and although some people might not like it, it sure kept me entertained.

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is phenomenal as Mickey Haller as he settles nicely into the character. The actor showed the depth of the character amazingly and keeps the viewers engaged with a performance that only he could have pulled off. However, it is Becki Newton’s Lorna and Angus Sampson’s Cisco that take your heart away with their amazing performances.

Becki Newton as Lorna in 'The Lincoln Lawyer' (Netflix)

Neve Campbell as Maggie McPherson is at her best when she deep dives into her own case that means so much to her. She is fierce and amazing. Meanwhile, Krista Warner as Hayley is charming.

Christopher Gorham as Trevor Elliott is brilliant. You’ll love him and hate him at the same time. Gorham is absolutely spot-on in showing his emotions and doesn’t shy away from making you hate his character even more. Also, Jazz Raycole is great as Izzy and plays the role of Haller's driver with precision.

Neve Campbell as Maggie McPherson in 'The Lincoln Lawyer' (Netflix)

All in all, ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ marks the return of Mickey Haller in a series that’s breezy and thoroughly enjoyable. The episodes are fast-paced and the season ends by providing closure to most of its storylines.

‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ is currently streaming on Netflix.

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