Recently, action thriller fans have been rediscovering one of Gerard Butler
’s best movies on streaming. And there’s a reason for this, as real-life events have had Butler fans thinking about the 2009 revenge outing Law Abiding Citizen
and Butler’s vigilante character, Clyde Shelton. In the wake of recent events, namely the suspected shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO by Luigi Mangione, action thriller fans have been turning to the divisive action thriller on Prime Video and elsewhere to both try to make sense of what happened, and to simply praise the movie as one of Butler’s best.
Directed by F. Gary Gray and starring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx, Law Abiding Citizen was panned upon release, and stands at 26% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Landing on the opposite side of the cinematic spectrum, audiences loved the movie, awarding it 75% on the Popcornmeter. You can check out the official synopsis and fans’ recent reactions to the thriller below.
“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.”
“Law Abiding Citizen is a top 10 movie of all time,” says X/Twitter user @1Ro_Ro, while fellow fan @Tommy_Oldham1 calls the movie “such a great film.” @Ranchwater12, meanwhile, urges everyone to watch the action thriller, declaring, “Have you ever watched the movie Law Abiding Citizen? If you haven’t, watch it!”
Some Fans Have Likened ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ to the Recent Unitedhealthcare Shooting
“Jamie, Gerard Butler and F. Gary Gray produced a masterpiece. IMO,” says @FlaVerytm, while @Suzuki_Bj feels that the movie is only so good because of Butler, saying, “Law abiding citizen was good. But it was cause of Gerald Butler for me.”
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Spin-off to One of Gerard Butler’s Best Action Franchises Is Now Streaming
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There are even some who think that the suspected shooter may have taken inspiration from Law Abiding Citizen and the violent crusade that Butler’s Clyde Shelton embarks upon. “This is not a dumb guy. I wonder if he was a big fan of Law Abiding Citizen,” asks @SirLurkington, with @XtinaMPerez adding, “Something is afoot. Listen, Gerard Butler’s character in Law Abiding Citizen wanted to get caught.” Finally, @Buuuuuudgeruck1 asserts, “This dude thinks he is gerard butler in law abiding citizen. Calling it now.” Such suggestions will seem laughable to many, especially critics, who chastised Law Abiding Citizen for being “unflinchingly absurd” and for having “a story that defies reason.”
While some will understandably feel that the comparison of this real-life killing to an action movie is insensitive, it’s testament to how the incident, which has taken the internet by storm, has struck a chord with people, as many now turn to their favorite movie for comfort or even some semblance of understanding.
- Release Date
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October 16, 2009
- Runtime
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109 Minutes