Rewatchables Reference

• The big reveal: Aaron reveals there never was an Aaron, only Roy – 'Good for you, Marty'.
• Aaron/Roy's outburst on the stand – attacks Laura Linney's character.
• Opening credits into the banquet scene setting up Gere's smug, charming lawyer.

• Norton's debut performance – strong case for greatest debut performance ever, possibly rivaling Orson Welles.
• Ann Biderman's script rewrite – she went on to create Southland and Ray Donovan.
• The final shot of Gere with sagging shoulders – one of the all-time great last shots.

The reporter character (Konerman) – appears in 4 scenes, 'a fucking zero' with no charisma.

• Linney saying during cross she would have killed the priest, cut his eyes out, stabbed him 78 times – too over-the-top.
• Shaughnessy telling Janet she was 'balling' Marty – the word 'balling' itself.

• Marty may not actually be a great lawyer – his opening defense is 'there was a third man' which he completely made up.
• Norton's debut may be the greatest announcement/first role performance ever.
• Gere never got the right parts – the 'Alex English' of actors.

• Leonardo DiCaprio was the original choice for Aaron/Roy and turned it down.
• Matt Damon desperately chased the role; not getting it led him and Affleck to write 'Good Will Hunting'.

• Gere dials it up when yelling at Aaron in the prison cell.
• Linney may be overdoing the nervous energy with the cigarette.

• Steven Bauer ('Manny from Scarface') – always a great character actor, in 3 scenes.
• Joe Spano (from Hill Street Blues) and Tony Plana as Alderman Martinez.

• The final shot of Gere standing with sagging shoulders after the reveal.
• Overhead shot of Norton lit/sleeping in bed with cross-cutting between characters.

• Multiple personality disorder in movies (competing with Psycho and Sybil).
• Sordid VHS sex tapes – same year as the Pamela Anderson/Tommy Lee tape.

Discussion of modern equivalents for the Norton role.

• Budget $30 million, made $102 million.
• Norton invented the stutter for his audition – not in the book/original script.
• Norton ad-libbed shoving Gere against the prison cell wall; also ad-libbed the slow clap at the end.

• Why didn't Gere just use an insanity defense from the start?
• Linney's 'omnipotent cigarette' – holds it constantly but barely ever smokes it.
• No other altar boys are ever brought to testify about Aaron's real personality.

• Could work as a 4-7 episode miniseries like The Night Of.
• Would blow out the Pinero subplot and Shaughnessy's real estate corruption storyline.

• Did Aaron always talk and act like Roy in real life? Wouldn't others have noticed?
• Is Ed Norton the greatest multi-personality actor ever? ('Primal Fear', 'Fight Club', The Hulk).

• 'Spotlight' (Catholic Church abuse connection).
• 'Rounders' (another signature Norton role from the same era).

• The Cardinal's fake severed fingers (prop).
• Laura Linney's barely-used Virginia Slims cigarettes.

• 'If you want justice, go to a whorehouse. If you want to get fucked, go to court'.
• Invent a second personality and you can kill anyone.

Edward Norton – Gere is wonderful and practically in every frame, but Norton makes it rewatchable and special.

Craig Horlbeck – likes courtroom movies; had trouble believing Gere's motivation; thought the slow clap was 'hacky' (drew strong pushback).