‘Primal Fear’

This 1996 hit makes fools of us and makes us like it. A tight courtroom melodrama that serves up twist after twist like so many baffling knuckleballs, this 1996 film handles its suspenseful material with skill and style. “Primal Fear” follows top Chicago defense attorney Martin Vail (Richard Gere) through the case of his life. Edward Norton (pictured) received an Oscar nomination for his performance.

(Cinemax Tuesday at 6 p.m.).