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The big-screen adaptation of Michael Connelly’s book “The Lincoln Lawyer” is a wonderfully stylish throwback to gritty old-school thrillers. It stars Matthew McConaughey as a cocky arrogant defense attorney who drives around Los Angeles in a Lincoln with a license plate that says NTGUILTY. McConaughey doesn’t let his conscience bother him as he consistently puts criminals back on the street, although that may have resulted in his divorce from Marisa Tomei who works as a prosecutor. But when a mysterious rich kid played by Ryan Phillippe becomes a client, having been accused of beating a prostitute, events begin to unfold which may challenge McConaughey’s own sense of right and wrong. The movie opens to Bobby Bland’s 1974 R&B hit “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” which suggests the kind of 70s urban cinema vibe that would make Quentin Tarantino proud. Cinematographer Lukas Ettlin makes Los Angeles look as gritty as it did in so many 80s L.A.-based thrillers such as “Blue Thunder”. All this nostalgia makes for a fun ride, even though the plot feels a bit overstuffed at times and hard to follow. McConaughey takes his Lincoln on a journey that hits a few potholes along the way, but ultimately arrives at a satisfying destination.