Edward Norton's debut film, Primal Fear, which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination, is now available to stream on Paramount+. The 90s psychological thriller, based on the 1993 novel of the same name, features a shocking plot twist that has been highlighted in viral clips.
A Breakout Performance
Norton, who recently turned 57, made his film debut as Aaron Luke Stampler, an altar boy accused of murdering a Catholic bishop. The film also starred Richard Gere as defence attorney Martin Vail and Laura Linney. The plot follows Vail, who believes his client is not guilty of the crime.
Nofilmschool.com described the film as the "performance that shocked Hollywood." Leonardo DiCaprio was also approached for the role but turned it down. Norton explained in an interview featured by the publication: "The role was not very fully formed. It wasn't what it became in the film. It was not so clearly defined as a complete con."
Behind the Scenes
Norton added: "Leonardo DiCaprio, who's a really good pal of mine, he had passed on it. Weirdly, that did a weird thing to me, because of course, it's like, a once-in-a-lifetime career shot." He continued: "I was like, 'This is a mess'. It was a mess. [Director Greg Hoblit] thought it was a mess, Richard [Gere] kind of thought it was a mess. But then when I came into it, everybody really realised, 'We really need to fix this'."
Fan Reactions
Fans have shared their thoughts on IMDb, with one commenting: "This movie was recommended for me by a friend and it's just a masterpiece. The plot twist was [not] expected at all." Another wrote: "Easily one of the greatest thrillers ever made. One of the best examples of the intense 90s thriller, this movie works very well. It's a very well-paced legal thriller that is unrelenting, and it builds to an excellent climax."
Another concluded: "It is amazing to think this was actually young Edward Norton's film debut, and it's no wonder he won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe because his performance is absolutely phenomenal and definitely reason enough to give this movie a chance if you haven't seen it yet." Primal Fear is streaming on Paramount+.
