Law Abiding Citizen

2009, Mystery & thriller/Drama, 1h 48m

162 Reviews 250,000+ Ratings

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critics consensus

Unnecessarily violent and unflinchingly absurd, Law Abiding Citizen is plagued by subpar acting and a story that defies reason. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an honorable family man, until the day his wife and daughter are murdered in a home invasion. He hopes for justice, but a rising prosecutor named Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) cuts a deal with one of the killers in exchange for testimony. Ten years later, that man is found dead and Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he hands Rice an ultimatum: Fix the broken legal system or suffer the consequences.
  • Rating:
    R (Rape|Pervasive Language|Strong Bloody Brutal Violence|Torture)
  • Genre:
    Mystery & thriller, Drama, Crime
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    F. Gary Gray
  • Producer:
    Lucas Foster, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Mark Gill, Kurt Wimmer, Robert Katz
  • Writer:
    Kurt Wimmer
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $73.3M
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    Overture Films
  • Production Co:
    Warp Films

Cast & Crew

Jamie Foxx
Nick Rice
Gerard Butler
Clyde Shelton
Colm Meaney
Det. Dunnigan
Bruce McGill
Jonas Cantrell
Leslie Bibb
Sarah Lowell
Michael Irby
Det. Garza
Gregory Itzin
Warden Iger
Regina Hall
Kelly Rice
Emerald-Angel Young
Denise Rice
Christian Stolte
Clarence Darby
Annie Corley
Judge Laura Burch
Richard Portnow
Bill Reynolds
Viola Davis
Mayor
Michael Kelly
Bray
Josh Stewart
Rupert Ames
Roger Bart
Brian Bringham
Dan Bittner
Seren
F. Gary Gray
Director
Kurt Wimmer
Screenwriter
Lucas Foster
Producer
Gerard Butler
Producer
Alan Siegel
Producer
Mark Gill
Producer
Kurt Wimmer
Producer
Robert Katz
Producer
Neil Sacker
Executive Producer
Michael Goguen
Executive Producer
Jonathan Sela
Cinematographer
Alex Hajdu
Production Design
Tariq Anwar
Film Editor
Brian Tyler
Original Music
Jeffrey Kurland
Costume Designer
Joseph Middleton
Casting
Deanna Brigidi
Casting
Jesse Rosenthal
Art Director
Chryss Hionis
Set Decoration
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Critic Reviews for Law Abiding Citizen

All Critics (162) | Top Critics (52) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (120)

View All Critic Reviews (162)

Audience Reviews for Law Abiding Citizen

  • Feb 29, 2016
    One of the early takes of the by now popular be-careful-who-you-mess-with cautionary revenge epics Hollywood produces, cause-he-might-be-a-retired-super-spy. Tension is quickly ratcheted up and stays there until the conclusion, all performers ably contributing. A decent thriller.
    Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
  • May 14, 2013
    Fun and exciting. I enjoyed it a great deal.
    Christian C Super Reviewer
  • Jan 10, 2013
    Law Abiding Citizen is entertaining, but not much else. The plot is so implausible and unbelievable that it's almost laughable. Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx as well as the rest of the cast deliver sup-par performances as well making Law Abiding Citizen an entertaining, confusing, implausible mess. Don't waste your time unless you want a brainless action movie.
    Raymond W Super Reviewer
  • Dec 26, 2012
    "Law Abiding Citizen" is a remarkable adrenaline-pumping movie experience that is unexpectedly very intriguing. This is one of the few movies that has the audience take sides of the antagonist rather than the protagonist; and although the movie had a remarkable plot, the ending was unfulfilling and implausible to conclude the movie as 'fully satisfying'.
    Dutch E Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

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