Presumed Innocent (1990) – Encore Review 2

“Oh, come on, Mr. Della Guardia, really. You tell a man he’s engaged in wrongdoing, and he says, “Yeah, you’re right.” Now, everybody knows that’s facetious, and we’re all familiar with that. Shoot, in my neighborhood, had Mr. Sabich come from those parts, he would have said, “Your mama.” But in Mr. Sabich’s part of town, I would think they would say, “Yeah, you’re right.” And what they mean is, “You are wrong.” Just to be polite.” – Judge Larren Lyttle

Number of Times Seen – At least 10 times (Theater in 1990, cable, video, DVD, 20 Feb 2015, 8 Dec 2018 and 15 Mar 2020)

Link to original review – Here and Here

Brief Synopsis – After a prosecuting attorney is found murdered in her apartment, her boss, who had an affair with her years beforehand is accused of her murder, but can he prove his innocence/

My Take on it – This is a courtroom drama that I have always enjoyed ever since I first saw it in the theater nearly 30 years ago.

the story is presented in a great way and they manage to keep things really tense and suspenseful throughout even for those that already know the way that things unfold.

Harrison Ford is superb in the lead role and really lets us get a clear understanding of his characters emotions throughout the story because they are constantly changing.

The story is able to do a great job presenting the complexities of the legal system.

We get to see how things work and how thing sometimes fall through the various holes in the system at the same time.

The story itself unfolds in a great way and it allows us to fee;l the pain and suffering that these characters must endure along their journey.

Raul Julia is amazing as Ford’s defense attorney Sandy Stern and his calm demeanor helps keep things steady as he tries to prove his client’s innocence.

There are some scenes in this film that move along at a slower pace yet they help make things feel even more realistic and make us believe the story even more because it feels so genuine the whole way through.

The supporting cast is also superb with Bonnie Bedleia, Bradley Whitford, Brian Dennehy, Paul Winfield, Gretta Scacchi, Joe Grifasi and John Spencer helping make this so tense and enjoyable the whole way through.

Bottom Line – Amazing courtroom drama that is able to stay tense and suspenseful throughout even upon a rewatch. Ford is superb in the lead role and we can completely understand everything that he does along the way. The story does a wonderful job showing how the legal system both works and doesn’t work based on the various holes in the system. The story unfolds really well and they allow us to feel the pain and suffering of the characters as things move along. Julia is amazing as the defense attorney trying to help prove his innocent throughout. Certain scenes move along at a slower pace yet they are there in order to help make things feel even more realistic and succeed in giving off that feel the whole time. Great supporting cast helps keep things tense and enjoyable from start to finish. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Before the book was released in August 1987, producer Sydney Pollack purchased the rights to the film for 1 million dollars. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (9/10) (no change from original review)