Movie : Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Am I the only one that wished Clyde would've won in the end?

That ending just goes to show how messed up the justice system is smh

You know what's sad? The guys wife was raped and killed, his daughter was taken and killed, and he has to live with that for the rest of his life, but the justice system releases the guys that did that to his family? Bro, this literally shows how messed up the justice system is. (Whats also unfair is there were TONS of evidence that shows the guys did it. 10 years was not enough).

That was my one problem with this movie. Nick was devastatingly outmatched, yet somehow the moment he figures out Clyde's plan, and sees that Clyde is gone, he happens sees one clue, figures it out, gets to the building, conducts a search, finds the bomb, gets it back to the tunnel, up the tunnel plants the bomb under Clyde's bed, gets out, and back into the prison, to confront Clyde, all before Clyde makes it back to the jail. I know the good guy is supposed to win, but come on. I just really hate it when they take a brilliant movie with an excellent plot, well thought out dialogs, and excellent characters, then fuck it all up because they couldn't figure out an ending.

If the law punished the real culprit, then a good citizen wouldn't take the law into his hands. Shame to that law and their enforcement.

This movie was amazing. The guy specifically orchestrated this entire thing to make fun of the legal system. The only way for the lawyers to win against him was for them to break the rules. They HAD to break into his properties and they had to illegally find out how he obtained his properties and where they were. He could've accounted for that but he didn't. He had a death wish and a lesson to give.

You missed the most important point, in order to stop him they had to break the law that they were sworn to uphold, they entered his property without a warrant

Loved Clyde and was depressed when he didn't win. Anyone who thinks the justice system works has NEVER had to deal with it

I hated the ending of this movie. I extremely disliked the Nick as a character. I feel he learned nothing. Clyde was a better Punisher than any which have been portrayed in the movies. If a real studio exec was watching they would have cast Gerard Butler in that role shortly after this movie. How cold dead stare and menacing look was perfect. As far I am concerned, Nick should have been killed and not allowed to do that chessy hero walk off in the end.

I still believe and thinks Clyde didn’t deserve to die. He was just a law abiding citizen.

even though he died at the end, he proved his point. they literally had to kill him to make him stop. they became murderers to stop a murderer.

One of the most satisfying moments of this film was Darby's "punishment." Sometimes a little focused brutality is exactly what is needed to discourage the criminals from further degeneracy. Fear of pain is an excellent deterrant.

if there's one person you shouldn't mess with, it's a man with nothing left to lose

A lot of people died in this movie because of Nick's ego.

The justice system is weak. Clyde’s decisions may have been wrong but you can’t blame him at all. Defending a criminal walking free is pure lunacy. Then going after the man who lost everything to said criminal with even more force than the criminal is just disgusting.

Saw this in theatres and when the cell phone went off on the judge, the entire audience let out a collective "HOLY SHIT"

"What would your family feel? What would your wife think of you doing this???" "They can't feel anything BECAUSE THEYRE DEAD!" lol such a good come back.

A great movie with no good guys, just bad guys working against eachother. The main difference being that Clyde knew he was a bad guy and Nick never really figured out that he was too.

Even if I’m not naïve enough to call Clyde the hero because he definitely goes too far with his vengeance, Nick is also a villain for his complacency, greed, and hypocrisy.

Everyone is complaining about the injustice toward Clyde, but what about Rupert? I can't believe that a court can sentence someone to death based on the sole testimony of an accomplice to the crime, who clearly has a skin in the game.

I was rooting for Clyde for pretty much the entire movie

People completely miss the ending. Clyde's ultimate goal WAS NOT just revenge, but to teach a lesson, which he did. Any other ending would have completely missed the point of the movie and made it just a standard revenge film.

A man who's the most dangerous, is one who has nothing to lose.

I loved this movie, and really shows whats wrong with the justice system

Life lesson: never open the door to anyone you aren’t expecting

I have a theory about Sarah’s secret contact. What if it was Clyde all along? What if this was a way to stop himself from going to far? To not become the same monster that took away his wife and daughter. Or maybe a final way to make Nick to throw away his views of justice to end someone who is clearly a monster. Take this with a grain of salt, unless the movie already revealed Sarah’s contact identity.

And in the end, the detective proved Clyde to be justified in his homicidal rage. Law Abiding Citizen ends with the criminals winning.

I have always hoped that we could get a prequel to this movie one day. Explaining what Clyde's job really was, the targets he managed to eliminate, and that the fate of his family wasn't some random thing, but actually orchestrated by someone. The movie could show before his family died, and after they died, during the 10 years before this movie.

Calling him an “Engineer” is an understatement

The part where the phone blows up the corrupt patronising judge is so good

"Its not what u know but its about what u can prove" Damn that hits hard

Justice is served only when it serves the system and those who run it, otherwise they just don’t bother. Its about how easily a conviction can be secured, even if the wrong person gets convicted. If it LOOKS like justice is served, then that is all that matters.

So nick ruined his life and then killed him? But Clyde is the bad guy

What a BS ending.

Makes deal with murderer then says he doesn’t make deals with murderers

One of the greatest movies EVER!!

If you cant serve justice, get the hell out and quit your job. If a crime happens and you cant serve justice. You're as much responsible as the criminal who did it. Nick acted as a complete shi*head every moment, never taking a man who lost everything least bit seriously. He's soo protective of his own family yet never cares what happened to Clyde's family. He plays JUSTICE with Clyde, where was this LAWMAN when you let Darby free? Justice demands that he too should suffer for his negligence and selfish behavior. This will happen if the members of Justice will not take their responsibility seriously.

"Instead of dying painlessly, he begins to shake and scream in pain and dies an agonizing death. Bravo! What a great show!"

My all time favorite movie! Just shows you how imperfect how justice system truly is!

One of the all-time greatest movies to watch over and over again. I still hear it mentioned in barber shops from time to time like Cage and Travolta in "Face Off" guys used to bring up alot

I think this is the only movie that I felt the bad guy should win.

If I get to remake the ending, heres how it goes: After planting the bomb at the office full of governors, Clyde would not return back to his prison cell, instead he would initiate the next phase of his plan by escaping, labelling himself as wanted fugitive. Sometime later after the authorities (DA/Jamie Fox) discovered Clyde has escaped and are in process of a Manhunt. The DA just gotten a direct phone call from his family. Immediately after answering the call, the DA find out that it was Clyde who was the caller using the DA’s family number. In a panic state, the DA has gotten a grasp of his family (hostage) situation. And Clyde demands for the DA to come alone to Clyde’s location to try rescue his family. Putting the DA in a similar situation as Clyde’s, a father desperately trying to save/protect his own family. Arriving at the location (after few hours), the DA (armed) straightforwardly enters the building through the front door and found his wife and child all tied up to a chair with their mouth sealed with tape (unable to speak a word) with Clyde behind them holding 2 knives at their throats. The DA desperately tries to plead (make a deal) with Clyde, where he would voluntarily freely let Clyde kills him (to get revenge) in exchange for his family’s safety. But Clyde was not interested in that such deal. Instead Clyde would rather have a conversation with the DA (as a father and husband) while the hostages are still in the room. After some time passes (minutes), where the 2 parties have a proper conversation. Just outside the house there is a noise of police siren and vehicles approaching closer to the house. This enrages Clyde as this is a of breach against for the DA to come “Alone”. Now Clyde retaliates by attempting to slit the throat of the hostages. An enrage Clyde left himself vulnerable. Seeing an opportunity, the DA quickly act and shoots Clyde for the kill. Which lands, causing Clyde to drop dead down to floor. After the DA confirms that Clyde is dead. He quickly reunites with his family and frees them from their restraints. However (plot twist), after the DA had freed his wife. She gave him a message which was (surprise) from Clyde. The message was “how does it feel to desperately save your family?”. Realising that Clyde had orchestrated and execute his entire plans since the very beginning, this hostage situation was also one of them. Behind the scene (flashback) where Clyde is setting the hostage situation, Clyde has also prepare a remote phone call connected to the emergency service line, where it is set by a timer (Clyde strictly being precision in time). This is so that Clyde would fully staged the entire scenario during the hostage situation including the arrival of the police as it is mentioned above. In Clyde’s case he himself was a victim, where he lost his entire family to a crook and was betrayed by the DA for not serving “full” justice towards the crook. Which lead Clyde to take matter into his own hands in getting revenge at the crook and teaching a valuable lesson to the DA. Which is “how does it feel to be a desperate powerless Father and Husband (victim)?”. Clyde never intend to harm the DA’s family. His intention was to show the error of the DA’s way by fighting for what is right (black and white) instead of what is not right/wrong (grey area). And so the movie ends where the DA became a better husband and father to his family while carrying Clyde’s lessons at court.

"The only thing more fearsome than a man is a man that's got nothing to loose"

Worst ending to a great movie.

This movie's ending is such bs lol it's like they realized in the end that the "terrorist" winning in the end isnt exactly pretty good for publication for the movie

Thanks for this synopsis of the movie....I was thinking about renting it.....you saved me time....thank you.

What is so clever about the writing is that the lawyers mentor and assistant both saw the error of their ways right before they died. This showed that Sheldon's actions , while I personally thought where justified, still hindered him, because he had made real change, but his rage blinded him to see that. The mentor saying "We where so focused on victories that we lost sight of justice" and the assistant, lamenting the loss of a piece of her, when she was only ever focused on victory instead of helping people. Def pro writing by keeping their stance neutral. The whole movie was just so much Grey Area, where you can see the points from both sides of an argument. SUCH AMAZING WRITING!

Did you know: This movie was supposed to end differently with Gerard Butler's character getting his justice. However, Jamie Foxx said he wouldn't do the movie unless his character came out the winner. I wish they had cast someone else and stayed with the original plotline. It would have been a much more satisfying movie.

If I were Clyde, I would be in a full Batman mode.

Have I been in coma? Half these movies I never heard of, even with all the star power. Your recaps are awesome.

The part where the judge gets blown away by the phone explosive my jaw literally dropped, I wasn't expecting that at all

"At Darby's, who's sniffing flower..." Hilarious.

Clyde should have won.

The ending shot of the movie is a zoom into Nick's tie... Earlier it was talked about how Clyde had a tie that would strangle the wearer on its own. Food for thought

Beautiful. The rage consumed him but not without good cause.

there's no way clyde would have been so stupid at the end. He would have known they found the bomb

The directors did a great job with the ending. It enrages the audience, leaves them feeling helpless and eager for real justice. In the sense that the viewers will despise the grayhat lawyer/DA and see how only whitehat lawyers are really morally correct.

Never mess to a guy that has nothing to lose.

This is one of my favorite movies. Saw it in theaters as a teenager when it was first released. I just hated the ending. I wished he would have survived but now as an adult, I understand now that he accepted his own death to be with his family.

Awesome movie with a great meaning behind it with how the justice system works. On another note I love the scene @6:07 when he really gives it to the judge.

I know that this film wasn't reviewed well when it came out, but it's a perfect case of why you shouldn't take critic's words as gospel. It's a fantastic film that is incredibly engaging to watch as it's one of the few cases you're actually rooting for the "bad" guy. It's one of my favourite movies and undoubtedly one of Gerard's best.

I remember my parents watching this at home, while i was sleeping. I was around 10-11 at that time. I couldn't sleep well so i decided to go to my parents. Of course i had the best luck in the universe and I walked in, just as the burglary happend. I stood there, terrified of what happend and rushed to my bedroom. I couldn't sleep for a few days and I couldn't close my door because I was getting paranoid, thinking that these guys are going to come in and do the same things. I still remember this scene and I think it's attached in my mind. Still a good movie, I watched it after I grew older and this time, I didn't get scared more like I was rooting for Clyde.

The acting skills from Jamie Foxx and Gerad Butler deserves and award, also shout out to the directors, writers and producers this movie is a classic and it makes you think from all perspectives.

9:56 "But Nick still thinks he did the right thing" it would be great if such an idiotic thought could only exist due to fiction, but sadly when looking at reality we can see that it's actually very plausible and happens all the time.

Amazing movie with a shitty ending - said everyone ever

Thankyou so much

Damn, that is a really heavy movie with lots of raw emotions that speaks volumes about our society today

This movie was absolutely amazing, it shows the justice system with no filters but it also shows that clyde is more of a anti-hero than anything, a man driven to spill the blood of those who were responsible for takeing evrything from him. The funny commentary and summary of this video are good as well.

Great film! Gerrard character was well and truly driven to get revenge on the system that let him down, the so called “good guys” who failed him and the perpetrators that ruined his life. He uses all his knowledge, skills and training to prove a point even if it means he loses his own life and privileges in the process.

When the judge's phone blew up, I lost it

You know makes a man dangerous? When they have absolutely nothing to lose

Was the revenge worth it for all buglers that took the familys life..? Yes.

So basically the good guy dies and the bad guy walk off scot free

The plots and twists were brilliant, thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this movie until the last scene. I was deeply disappointed with the way they ended it. The prosecutor was going by the laws he had to operate under but the real hero is Clyde. He was actually in and out of that jail multiple times to set things up. I was so rooting for him and would have much preferred to see him prevail fully.

Thanks!

You can only fight evil with evil.

I wish there was a directors cut of this movie with alternate endings with Clyde completing everything he planned

The ending to this movie is SOOOOOOOOOOO unsatisfactory. A movie where the bad guys win.

Ever notice how once in awhile you meet someone you should not have messed with? That's me".

Ask this to your selves. What you would've done if you were in Clyde's shoes. I would've made the video public so no lowlife ever, even in his dreams would even cook up such a thing and all prosecutors, judges and cops wouldn't even dare to muster the courage to help the ones responsible. It may sound uncivilized to many, but you wouldn't understand until this happens to you. The people who cook shit up like those thieves may appear human, but i assure you they're not. And that's why they should be made examples so others never feel this invulnerable. They just had to make Clyde a psycho. So that people dont get whats the actual idea of this movie.

I don't know if there's a directors cut or not. But in the final scene Nick the lawyer attended his daughter's recital and the camera angle is focused on his neck tie. In the secret meeting with Clyde's associate he mentioned a hard to kill most wanted man died by a necktie. Just a what if but if there's a directors cut when the camera focusing Nick's necktie goes black there could be whirring sound indicating his neck guillotine is starting to execute. Clyde might have not known he would die but he must have prepared a conditioned weapon against Nick as he prepared for 10 years and he knew their mindset and their behavior even their schedules without being spotted.

this is suuuch a great movie.. beautiful writing.. I watched and rewatched this movie many times

I always loved the idea this what the back story to the team fortress 2 engineer was. He did solve a alot of practical problems.

I just watched this movie recently and love it that you made a recap about it

and in the end, no justice is served and the ball keeps on rolling

What I hate the most was the fact he died in the end. He deserved to live as no one went against the Justice System and so they're all to blame.

I had never been as disappointed with the end of a movie as I was with this one.

Jamie Foxx was the real villain

Love how the criminal feel each cut He get what he deserves

when i saw the title mentioning revenge and i remember his line "vengeance? you think this is about revenge? if i wanted revenge i could have done that 10 years ago."

I'm glad your listening.

To the person reading this: Even though I don’t know you, I wish you the best of what life has to offer ❤

This would've been an awesome Punisher type of series if they would've ended this with Clyde disappearing somehow!!! This was one of the biggest missed opportunities in Hollywood!!!

After I saw "The Ugly Truth" Gerrard Butler became one of my favorites.. Law Abiding Citizen was another hit.. I enjoyed the movie so much that I wished it had not ended.

Except the ending of this movie everything was perfect.

I got this on DvD never tired of watching it 👍🏼

The first mistake people make is thinking they have a justice system. You don't. You have a legal system. And the difference between the two is as night and day.

You know, this type of trope really pisses me off. But I guess it's more rooted in reality with how criminals get off after commuting crimes. So, when these sort of psychopaths commit heinous crimes against innocents, the lawyers and cops are like 'oh, they too deserve a fair trial', 'there was not enough evident', 'they signed a plea deal'. But when the ones who are denied justice take matters in their own hands, they're like 'you're not above the law', 'I won't rest until I've put you behind bars'. The sheer hypocrisy.!

I always get pissed seeing this ending. Yeah sure it could be argued Clyde was a bad guy but Nick was too making deals with monsters. Nick didn't deserve the happy ending he got.