Presumed Innocent [DVD]

Despite the ins and outs of the plot, Raul Julia is the one to keep watching.

The rewards from this movie are, like the plot, many fold. It works on a number of different levels. The main premise is whether Rusty the lawyer (played by Harrison Ford) murdered his former lover or not. If you cannot grasp the many clues and red herrings at first watch it again. You can appreciate the subtle direction and acting to a greater degree. As the Ford character says at the very end - 'There is always punishment'. A well plotted movie that embraces the inner workings of the American judicial system with ambition, politics and the failing of human nature.

Harrison Ford plays no-nonsense lawyer Richard Winkles in this tense courtroom drama. When Winkles' wife dies after suffering an allergic reaction to some cheap supermarket perfume that Winkles has bought for her, he finds himself accused of her murder.Ford hires the sleazy gangsta-turned lawyer Franz Gomez-Lopez (Benicio Del Toro) to represent him and clear his name in court. While all this is going on, Winkles embarks on a dangerous affair with the office cleaner (Demi Moore) and unexpectedly gets involved in a drugs heist with his lawyer. The romance scenes are not that convincing because Ford used a stand-in for all of the kissing scenes. It is fair to say that the choice of James Earl Jones was a less than successful one for the stand-in. Rumour has it that that Jones was given the role because he happened to be visiting the studios on the day of filming.Ford is dependable enough and has some great chemistry with his onscreen pet cat. Both Ford and the cat were nominated for academy awards for best male actor. Ford lost out to the cat but got the last laugh when the cat's film career nose-dived after starring in the ill-fated 'Pussy In The Garden.'

This is a very different Harrison Ford - no Indiana Jones or kick ass action anywhere in sight, but having said that, it's still a great movie. Unexpected would be the word I would use to sum it up - on every level. Good acting and lots of surprises keep you guessing right up until the last few scenes - don't worry though, no spoiler alerts here! If you like tense courtroom dramas with lots of side stories and intrigue then this will definitely be a 5***** movie for you.

Presumed Innocent is directed by Alan J. Pakula, who also co-adapts for the screen with Frank Pierson from the Scott Turow novel. It stars Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Bonnie Bedelia, Raúl Juliá, Paul Winfield, John Spencer and Greta Scacchi. Music is scored by John Williams and Richard Wolf, and cinematography is by Gordon Willis.Prosecuting attorney Rusty Sabich (Ford) suddenly finds himself a murder suspect after his one time lover, Carolyn Polhemus (Scacchi), is found raped and murdered in her home. As the evidence piles up against him, and his marriage comes under further strain, Rusty hires top lawyer Sandy Stern (Juliá) to represent him when the case goes to trial. Battling the system that he knows inside out, Rusty finds that there's a big can of worms about to be opened.A tip top court room mystery drama that we could do with seeing more of these days. Expertly strung together by the director of All the Presidents Men and Sophie's Choice, Presumed Innocent isn't just a by the numbers legal who done it? The makers get in deep with the political machinations of a district attorney's office, the intricate steps of a police investigation, and of course the legal eagle operations of a court room. In to the mix is an horrendous crime, of which a lawyer himself is charged with committing, he may or may not be guilty of the crime, but wonderfully we are never sure until the astonishing finale plays out. The air of mystery hangs heavy throughout, nagging away like an itch you can't scratch, with Pakula neatly unfolding the drama in a collage of flashbacks, side-plots and present time intricacies. Mood is heightened by the photography of Gordon Willis, who along with Pakula's looming camera work, manages to convey a claustrophobic feel in keeping with an unstable marriage and a court room itself.A great cast is assembled for the picture. Ford expertly plays it low key, brooding intently, he makes us unsure as to his guilt or innocence, and that's a testament to how good his performance is. Bedelia is excellent as the stoic wife, holding it together as the marital cracks begin to appear, and Juliá dominates the second half of the picture as we shift to the court room. Dennehy does a nice line in morally compromised smarm, and Scacchi wonderfully exudes a femme fatale sexuality. Winfield is a mighty presence as the judge presiding over such a tricky case, and Spencer is as reliable as ever. Only disappointments come with the performances of Joe Grifasi and Tom Mardirosian, who as the prosecutors come across as wimpy and hardly brick tight lawyers trying a high profile murder case.An intense and intellectual adult drama, Presumed Innocent is one of the best of its type from the modern era. 8.5/10