One of those delicious acting jousts that Hollywood producers sometimes align, in which two talented performers face off in opposition to each other. Anthony Hopkins plays a brilliant aviation engineer who calmly kills his cheating wife in the movie’s opening scene, cleverly conceals all the evidence and brazenly challenges a cocky assistant district attorney (Ryan Gosling) to disprove his innocence. Hopkins chews the scenery, but Gosling manages to keep him honest enough to avoid self-parody. Their showdowns crackle with showmanship – there are times when you can tell Gosling is as entertained by Hopkins’ antics as we are – but they also serve the story.
