An arrogant, high-powered attorney takes on the case of a poor altar boy found running away from the scene of the grisly murder of the bishop who has taken him in. The case gets a lot more complex when the accused reveals that there may or may not have been a third person in the room.
Richard Gere
as Martin Vail
Laura Linney
as Janet Venable
Edward Norton
as Aaron/Roy Stampler
John Mahoney
as Shaughnessy
Alfre Woodard
as Shoat
Frances McDormand
as Molly
Terry O'Quinn
as Yancy
Andre Braugher
as Goodman
Steven Bauer
as Pinero
Joe Spano
as Stenner
CinemaSerf
I was never the greatest fan of Richard Gere, but this is certainly one of his better performances. He is cocky lawyer "Vail", adept at ensuring his criminal fraternity clients evade justice. When the shocking news that an archbishop has been savagely murdered is announced, he decides on a bit of pr...
RalphRahal
Primal Fear is a masterclass in tension, turning a courtroom drama into a high-stakes thriller under Gregory Hoblit’s sharp direction. Then there’s Edward Norton, in his very first role, who makes such an impression it’s no surprise he went on to win over 15 awards including a Golden Globe for Be...