The Verdict
THE VERDICT (15)
D: Sidney Lumet
20th Century Fox (Richard D. Zanuck & David
Brown)
US 1982
128 mins
Drama
W: David Mamet [based on the novel by Barry
Reed]
DP: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Ed: Peter C. Frank
Mus: Johnny Mandel
Paul Newman (Frank Galvin), Charlotte Rampling
(Laura Fischer), James Mason (Ed Concannon), Jack Warden (Mickey Morrissey), Milo O'Shea (Judge Hoyle), Lindsay Crouse (Kaitlin Costello Price)
Paul Newman delivers yet another great performance as an
alcoholic, down-on-his-luck lawyer who takes on a medical malpractice case which he has little-to-no chance of winning, but feels he must to redeem his career. James Mason is equally great as the
smarmy, cocksure defending lawyer in the impending lawsuit.
This drama is more powerful in its scenes outside the
courtroom rather than within, but none of the scenes disappoint, helped by an intelligent screenplay by David Mamet and handled diligently by director Sidney Lumet.
8/10
