Despite producing some all-time classic films, the legal world has never struck me as a natural fit for the screen. Maybe it's because I work in the space, but it always feels like we're getting a watered down, oversimplified version of the strangely complex bureaucracy that is the U.S. legal system. The exercise for the filmmakers is to pick out a handful of digestible ideas to focus on, and gloss over all of the rest. That exercise is reasonably successful here, as the subject of expert medical testimony provides an interesting foundation for the legal battle. This kind of "battle of the experts", as they are sometimes referred, offers a natural conflict and clear stakes. I also enjoyed the somewhat caricatured depiction of the big law villains, with their army of attorneys working overtime to crush the one-man shop of good old Butch. Despite this, the limitations of the setting still were an issue for me, as the ending felt decidedly anti-climactic. After all, there's only so many ways a jury trial can end, and the delivery of a verdict isn't exactly an exciting affair.
Beyond the legal element, Paul Newman is his usual excellent self. With respect to the writing, while none of it was bad, and there were even strong moments laced throughout, I did find the overall story a bit basic in the end. Everything is more or less as it seems, which doesn't make for the most compelling narrative. The strong execution helps to carry things along, but only just. All in all, I'm a bit surprised at how many Oscar nominations this film received.
Review by SkinnyFilmBuffVIP 8BlockedParent2023-08-19T21:45:15Z
Despite producing some all-time classic films, the legal world has never struck me as a natural fit for the screen. Maybe it's because I work in the space, but it always feels like we're getting a watered down, oversimplified version of the strangely complex bureaucracy that is the U.S. legal system. The exercise for the filmmakers is to pick out a handful of digestible ideas to focus on, and gloss over all of the rest. That exercise is reasonably successful here, as the subject of expert medical testimony provides an interesting foundation for the legal battle. This kind of "battle of the experts", as they are sometimes referred, offers a natural conflict and clear stakes. I also enjoyed the somewhat caricatured depiction of the big law villains, with their army of attorneys working overtime to crush the one-man shop of good old Butch. Despite this, the limitations of the setting still were an issue for me, as the ending felt decidedly anti-climactic. After all, there's only so many ways a jury trial can end, and the delivery of a verdict isn't exactly an exciting affair.
Beyond the legal element, Paul Newman is his usual excellent self. With respect to the writing, while none of it was bad, and there were even strong moments laced throughout, I did find the overall story a bit basic in the end. Everything is more or less as it seems, which doesn't make for the most compelling narrative. The strong execution helps to carry things along, but only just. All in all, I'm a bit surprised at how many Oscar nominations this film received.