← Back to results
Presumed Innocent
1990 127 min United States of America R 16+
★7.2
Mystery, Crime, Thriller
Director: Alan J. Pakula
📖 Based on the novel
«Presumed Innocent»
byScott Turow
Trailers
Description
Rusty Sabich is a deputy prosecutor engaged in an obsessive affair with a coworker who is murdered. Soon after, he's accused of the crime. And his fight to clear his name becomes a whirlpool of lies and hidden passions.
Budget:
$22M
US Gross:
$86.3M
Worldwide:
$221.3M
Starring
Harrison Ford
Actor
Raul Julia
Actor
Greta Scacchi
Actor
Awards
1 win & 3 nominations total
Key opinion
Presumed Innocent is a cerebral legal thriller that favors atmosphere and procedural detail over traditional action. While many viewers appreciate its dense, character-driven mystery and strong supporting performances, others find the deliberate pacing and emotionally detached tone to be sluggish or tedious.
| Acting | Raul Juliá provides a standout performance, dominating the courtroom scenes with his sharp legal maneuvering. | |
| Score | John Williams' score is widely regarded as a significant asset that elevates the film's atmospheric tension. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing divides the audience: some praise its methodical, deliberate buildup as necessary for the mystery, while others perceive it as lethargic and boring. | |
| Acting | Harrison Ford's portrayal of the protagonist is polarizing, with some viewing his subdued performance as a fitting, nuanced choice and others finding it unremarkable or flat. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are split between those who appreciate the complex, fresh take on a classic whodunit and those who criticize the plot as clichéd, predictable, or overly reliant on coincidence. | |
| Ending | The ending creates discordance, with some viewers finding the resolution satisfyingly complex and others feeling it is confusing or anti-climactic. |