Gere and Norton reportedly reshaped the roles through rehearsal, with producers emphasizing Gere’s character preferences.
Norton recalled rejected endings in which the lawyer punched the client, trapped him with a recorder or otherwise regained the upper hand.
Gere reportedly insisted the final image show his defeated lawyer with sagging shoulders, rather than a redemptive victory.
The coveted young-actor role reportedly attracted 2,100 auditions, compared with School Ties and Scent of a Woman opportunities.
Connie Britton reportedly encouraged Norton to audition after he had encouraged her to try The Brothers McMullen; she was reading for the Maura Tierney role.
Norton added the stutter to distinguish his audition.
Norton said the widely circulated audition tape secured his Woody Allen and Larry Flynt roles before Primal Fear opened; he compared its fame to a Nirvana demo.
Norton’s supporting-actor Oscar rivals were Woods in Ghosts of Mississippi, Mueller-Stahl in Shine, Macy in Fargo and winner Gooding in Jerry Maguire.
The reported budget was $30 million and gross $102 million.
Hoblit reportedly insisted on stage actress Linney for the part.
The original cut reportedly exceeded three hours before being shortened.
The stutter was absent from both book and script.
Norton reportedly improvised shoving Gere against the cell, producing genuine surprise.
Norton reportedly improvised the slow clap.
The police-station exterior was also used for Hill Street Blues, on which Hoblit worked.

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 00:32:23Read transcript

Reporter: Wheeler-Nicholson, Paymer, Buscemi, Pollak, Cusack or Scott; Britton for Tierney, disputed

In the discussion (7)

Approx. transcript time · 01:00:27Read transcript

Dana Wheeler-Nicholson is suggested as a more distinctive reporter, with more diverse casting also proposed.
David Paymer is proposed as a more memorable reporter.
Buscemi is proposed as a more memorable reporter.
Kevin Pollak is proposed after an initially mistaken surname.
John Cusack is proposed for the reporter, then challenged as oversized casting for a small role.
Campbell Scott is another reporter alternative.
Connie Britton is considered for Tierney’s small role, though Tierney is also defended.

The usual as Bud Light, disputed; missing insanity defense; cigarette holding; absent altar-boy witnesses; tape discovery

In the discussion (5)

Approx. transcript time · 01:02:52Read transcript

Finding the correct abuse videotape depends on a label visible only by freeze-frame, leaving the selection and fast-forwarding apparently implausible.
Ordering the usual and receiving a Bud Light divides opinion: critics want a distinctive cocktail, while the defense says it simply establishes a frequent customer and ordinary civil servant.
The elaborate third-man strategy is questioned when an insanity defense seems available from the violent facts; the counterargument is that Roy had not yet been discovered.
Linney spends too much time holding and shaking a cigarette rather than smoking it, despite a counterexample at the beginning.
The absence of other altar-boy witnesses is questioned; fear of Aaron and Alex’s wish to disappear are possible explanations.

Aaron’s earlier persona and plan; Norton’s multiple-personality roles; Worm substitution; Podcast Roy

In the discussion (5)

Approx. transcript time · 01:08:04Read transcript

How Aaron behaved before the arrest is unclear; other altar boys should have exposed a previously different personality.
Roy’s plan, previous killings and whether he is a serial killer or an abused person retaliating remain unresolved.
Norton is proposed as the greatest multiple-personality actor through this film, Fight Club and The Hulk.
Replacing Roy with Worm would turn the film into Rounders whenever the other persona appears, highlighting Norton’s range.
A joking Podcast Roy persona would erupt under repeated sports questions.

DiCaprio declined Aaron/Roy

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 01:12:28Read transcript

DiCaprio was reportedly the first choice for Aaron/Roy but declined because the screenplay was a mess; Norton says he initially shared that assessment before revisions.

In the discussion (4)

Approx. transcript time · 01:30:31Read transcript

Spotlight is proposed for the shared clerical-abuse subject.
Rounders is another suggested pairing.
Widows is offered as another Chicago crime movie.
Anatomy of a Murder is proposed for its similar lawyer revelation and place in the genre’s lineage.

Vail’s motive unconvincing; twist good, slow clap hackneyed

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:36:04Read transcript

The invited review values courtroom scenes highly but finds Vail’s motive unconvincing, weakening the film; a response attributes his choice to wanting attention and fame.
The invited review likes the surprise but finds the slow clap hackneyed; the others strongly disagree.