Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn in the Vince Gilligan television series ‘Breaking Bad’

Just recently I watched the neo-Western crime drama television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013). The core story of the series is how underpaid and demoralized chemistry teacher Walter White, diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer to begin the series, teams with former student Jesse Pinkman to sell crystal meth in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Vince Gilligan created and produced the series.

(From left, Bryan Cranston as Walter White, Anna Gunn as Skyler White and RJ Mitte as Walter White, Jr. in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

As the series begins, Walter White lives in the family’s one-story ranch house with Skyler White, his wife, and Walter White, Jr., his son. Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn and RJ Mitte portrayed husband, wife and son, respectively, in the series. The initial impetus for entering the drug trade for Walter White was to financially provide for his family in the face of his cancer diagnosis. The process began as a small operation with small batches, made in combination and then distributed with the aid of former student Jesse Pinkman. Aaron Paul portrayed Jesse Pinkman.

(From left, Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman and Krysten Ritter as Jane Margolis in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

Comedic dysfunction ensued in the relationship for Pinkman and his former teacher in getting their business off the ground. Distribution is an initial consideration, with issues in manufacturing and distribution, with the engagement of Krazy-8, as portrayed by Max Arciniega, offering a dramatic sequence of events for the opening season. Jesse Pinkman’s strained relationship with his parents, as portrayed by Michael Bofshever and Tess Harper, added some depth to this storyline. Sharing Walt’s cancer diagnosis to Skyler’s sister Marie Schrader and DEA agent brother-in-law, Hank Schrader, introduced some of Walter’s extended family. Dean Norris and Betsy Brandt portrayed Hank and Marie, respectively.

(From left, Dean Norris as Hank Schrader and Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The second season plants the fodder for the larger narrative for where the five seasons of Breaking Bad will go. Introducing Tuco Salamanca, as portrayed by Raymond Cruz, at first introduces an element of realism and risk for what the illegal meth business means. Keeping the notion separate from family, with the introductions of mortal risk alongside a love interest for Jesse with Jane Margolis, demonstrating complexity on the front that is only the tip of the iceberg. Krysten Ritter and John de Lancie portray Jane Margolis and her father, Donald Margolis, respectively. The recreational vehicle and meth lab for Walt and Jesse, in their own ways, bring problems between Jesse and his parents, Hank Schrader and the criminal enterprise, and familial ties that aren’t readily apparent at this of the story. The season really ends with a bang.

(From left, Matt Jones as Brandon ‘Badger’ Mayhew, Rodney Rush as Christian ‘Combo’ Ortega, Charles Baker as Skinny Pete and Bryan Cranston as Walter White in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

Season three introduces many elements of fallout from the second season, including introductions to relatives of Tuco Salamanca through Saul Goodman. Bob Odenkirk, Mark Margolis, Daniel Moncada and Luis Moncada portrayed Saul Goodman, Hector Salamanca, Marco Salamanca and Leonel Salamanca, respectively. Goodman also brings Mike Ehrmantraut into the relationship of Walter and Skyler White, with an aim to protect the criminal enterprise that Jesse and Walter. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman had brought Goodman into their enterprise in what was to become a growing crystal meth operation. It’s through Ehrmantraut, as portrayed by Jonathan Banks, that we are introduced to chicken manufacturer Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring of Chile and his industrial strength crystal meth manufacturing plant. Giancarlo Esposito portrayed Fring.

(From left, Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut and Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The backstory of the industrial plant takes the audience into the past crystal meth manufacturing ambitions of Gus Freng. This history shows a longstanding relationship between Fring and Hector Salamanca, culminating in the manufacturing storyline under the laundromat. Dynamic interpersonal dynamics become exceedingly more complex from this past, and with the cook who assembled the plant the parts for the plan in the first place, Gale Boetticher. David Costabile portrayed Boetticher, whose overall story leads to the fulfillment of many storylines for Breaking Bad.

(From left, Mark Margolis as Hector Salamanca and Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The Salamanca storyline around vengeance for Tuco runs contemporaneous to the laundromat, the introduction to Gus’ ambition, and explaining to outward appearances for the ability to afford Walter White’s cancer treatments. We meet the character Ted Beneke, a creep from Skyler’s past portrayed by Christopher Cousins. Meanwhile, we dynamics with Jesse’s distribution ring leads to troubles for Christian ‘Combo’ Ortega, as portrayed by Rodney Rush. The fallout of this leads to significant issues for Walter and Jesse with Mike Ehrmantraut and Gus Fring, with the relationship that Jesse has cultivated with Andrea Cantillo and her son, Brock Cantillo, on Jesse’s mind. Emily Rios and Ian Posada portrayed Andrea Cantillo and Brock Cantillo, respectively.

(From left, Christopher Cousins as Ted Beneke, David Costabile as Gale Boetticher and Emily Rios as Andrea Cantillo in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The third and fourth seasons of Breaking Bad were among the best I’ve seen in a television series. The trajectory for so many relationships along with the development of the histories that informed so much of the motivation for characters were tremendous. That we truly began to see the true nature of who series long characters were during this timeframe. The stepping up of ways that DEA agent Hank Schrader continued not knowing that his brother-in-law was in drugs, as prolonged as could be possible with some ingenious interventions, were artfully done. This said, the sharing for how the stories of so many characters worked themselves out by the fourth season, and through some tying of loose ends with the fifth season, made the fifth season feel a bit anti-climactic at points for me. The introduction of Holly White was an interesting touch along the way, which served purposes for the relations between Walter and Skyler White, Hank and Marie Schrader, and between the Schraders and the Whites.

(From left, Jesse Plemons as Todd Alquist and Laura Fraser as Lydia Rodarte-Quayle in the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The storylines for the fifth and final season of Breaking Bad introduced needs to bring resolution to relationships with questions unresolved. Would members of the cast continue with the criminal enterprise? Would folks get caught? Would Hank catch the criminal that he’d been after since the beginning of the series. These questions are answered with clarity and depth, though the true emotional impact for some of these questions rested earlier in the series. The functions of Todd Alquist and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle became necessary, though these characters didn’t get the screen time to resonate as completely as others, including Brandon ‘Badger’ Mayhew and as Skinny Pete. The discrete closure for specific characters, and how things were left open for our imaginations for some characters, was an interesting choice. That this led the Better Call Saul (2015-2022) television series as well as the El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) movie occurred, due to this, in my opinion. Matt Jones, Charles Baker, Jesse Plemons and Laura Fraser portrayed Mayhew, Skinny Pete, Alquist and Rodarte-Quayle, respectively.

(From left, director Vince Gilligan and actor Aaron Paul preparing for a scene for the Vince Gilligan television series Breaking Bad).

The overall experience of the Breaking Bad television series was entertaining. There are definitely parts of the movie that explored the motivations for who characters were, with the end result being a clear speaking to the full character that was Walter White. I give Breaking Bad as produced by Vince Gilligan 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Matthew McConaughey and the movie ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’

The sixteenth novel written by crime novelist Michael Connelly introduced the half-brother to detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch, namely Los Angeles attorney Mickey Haller. The 2005 book The Lincoln Lawyer emerged six years later as the movie of the same name. Six years later, the movie version of the book The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) emerged with Matthew McConaughey in the leading role as Mickey, or Mick, Haller.

(Left to right, Michael Peña as Jesus Martinez and Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer).

We are introduced to the moderately successful Mickey Haller, who is driven around in his Lincoln Town Car. The car itself stands in for Haller’s office, which in part ties to Haller’s typical clients of drug dealers and gangsters. A former client named Jesus Martinez, as portrayed by Michael Peña, lays important background for the man Haller is while being relevant to the case of wealthy realtor Louis Roulet, who is accused of assault and attempted murder in what at first appears to be a set up by the female “victim”. In the book, Jesus Martinez was named Jesus Menendez.

(Left to right, Margarita Levieva as Regina (Reggie) Campo and Ryan Phillippe as Louis Roulet in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer).

Ryan Phillippe portrays Louis Roulet, who looks to be setup by Regina Campo. Margarita Levieva portrays Campo, a paid entertainer whose assault clearly occurred with the underlying facts of the situation in dispute. Haller’s assistant Frank Levin, as portrayed by William H. Macy, helps to investigate. Levin finds a fact pattern that leads to the case of Martinez, bringing doubt to the truthfulness of what Roulet has shared with his defense attorneys.

(From left, Mackenzie Aladjem as Hayley Haller and Marisa Tomei as Maggie McPherson in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer).

We are introduced to Mick Haller’s ex-wife, prosecutor Maggie McPherson and the couple’s daughter, Hayley Haller, along the way. The emotional baggage of these relationships, as well as that of the convicted Jesus Martinez, take further definition at this point. Whether McPherson, as portrayed by Marisa Tomei, is the prosecuting attorney for the Roulet case is at first unclear. The unraveling of that little degree of mystery was a nice touch. Mackenzie Aladjem portrayed Hayley Haller.

(From left, Michael Paré as Detective Kurlen, Michaela Conlin as Detective Sobel, and Bryan Cranston as Detective Lankford in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer).

That baggage takes a further turn when Haller, with the findings from Frank Levin in hand, asks Martinez something that would indicate how truthful Roulet has been in sharing information in his case. Meanwhile, investigation by Detective Sobel and her colleagues of the shooting death of Frank Levin makes Haller look guilty because the gun was of a model stolen from Haller. Circumstances point to Roulet being responsible for this, in addition to veiled threats against Maggie McPherson and Hayley Haller.

(Left to right, Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller and Josh Lucas as Ted Minton in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer).

Detective Sobel is portrayed by Michaela Conlin. Sobel’s boss, Detective Lankford as portrayed by Bryan Cranston, suspects Mick Haller. Meanwhile, Mick Haller does something ethically questionable that prompts state’s attorney Ted Minton to look long at hard about next steps for the spinning wheel of the Louis Roulet trial. Something just intervenes at Maggie McPherson’s hands, shortly after Haller calls upon his past to address a larger piece of drama that co-mingles with two intriguing applications of loyalty to family.

(Frances Fisher as Mary Windsor in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer).

Mary Windsor, as portrayed by Frances Fisher, first appears in the movie of The Lincoln Lawyer. Her larger narrative is instrumental in the trial of her son. Mick Haller’s chauffer, Earl, offers a lesson of loyalty that brings the notion of the defense attorney forward. Laurence Mason portrayed Earl. Watching the movie to here the story’s take on loyalty is worth the time investment.

(Left to right, Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller and Laurence Mason as Earl in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer).

In getting into the movie adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer, the casting decisions for the film were really top notch. I honestly loved the police detectives chosen, as well as reprising Matthew McConaughey as a lawyer fifteen years after A Time To Kill (1996). Marisa Tomei as Maggie McPherson was another stellar choice. Typically typecasting as a phenomenon can be detrimental, though it worked here. The layers of the story worked well, too, for a movie with the given rating (PG-13). My 4.00-stars rating on a scale of one-to-five for The Lincoln Lawyer reflects this.

Matt – Saturday, April 18, 2020