PRESUMED INNOCENT
A flawed courtroom thriller whose moral message is buried under objectionable content.
Should You Watch It?
Presumed Innocent eventually becomes an entertaining and thought-provoking courtroom drama. Its strongest section examines the breakdown of justice when personal morals collapse. The film also condemns adultery and points toward the commands against bearing false witness and committing murder.
But the movie takes too long to become engaging, then adds an artificial second ending that muddles its otherwise satisfying conclusion. More seriously, it overloads the story with fornication, nudity, adultery, explicit sexual crime, and excessive profanity. The review also finds that this material is neither good drama nor realistic.
The middle may offer food for thought, but the content is excessive and the storytelling is uneven. The practical answer is simple: skip it.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESRusty Sabich is the chief deputy assistant prosecuting attorney in a county office. When another assistant attorney, Carolyn Polhemus, is murdered, Rusty is ordered to take the case.
The investigation grows complicated. There is no sign of forcible entry into Carolyn’s apartment, political opponents are passing information from inside the office, and Rusty has a personal history with the victim that makes the case dangerous for him.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means this is a mixed bag. The opening is long and tedious, taking about a third of the film to capture attention. The movie initially feels like a big-budget television episode burdened by excessive profanity.
The middle is excellent and entertaining, with a compelling courtroom situation and worthwhile thoughts about justice and personal morality. The music is good, the sound editing is excellent, and the dark camera work is memorable. But the script does not sustain the story, and the added second ending muddles the film after a satisfying conclusion.
The Worldview
The film’s central moral insight is that the justice system cannot remain healthy when personal morality collapses. It condemns adultery and connects sexual wrongdoing with false witness and murder. The middle section gives viewers food for thought about how private sin damages public justice.
The review also finds that the director does not fully grasp the moral rectitude of this premise. The story is overloaded with fornication, nudity, adultery, and excessive profanity, and these additions weaken rather than strengthen its moral message. The film’s positive references to God are welcome, but they do not overcome the surrounding immorality.
At its best, the movie recognizes that truth and justice matter. Scripture commands, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Several profanities and obscenities; explicit depiction of sexual crime; and, nudity, fornication and adultery
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
How does the film connect private immorality with the breakdown of public justice? What does Scripture say about the effects of hidden sin?
Numbers 32:23 · Galatians 6:7Why is bearing false witness especially destructive in a courtroom? How should Christians pursue truth when reputations and careers are at stake?
Exodus 20:16 · Ephesians 4:25The film condemns adultery but also surrounds its moral message with sexual immorality. Why does the way a story presents sin matter?
1 Corinthians 6:18 · Philippians 4:8What makes justice difficult when people are protecting themselves or their positions? What does God require from those who judge and lead?
Micah 6:8 · Proverbs 21:3The Final Word
Presumed Innocent has a strong middle and a worthwhile concern about the collapse of personal morals and justice. But its beginning is tedious, its ending is muddled, and its excessive sexual content and profanity make it unsuitable for families. Our answer is clear: SKIP IT. For better options, see.
