A television adaptation with a different touch
In 1990, Alan J. Pakula brought Scott Turow’s novel Presumed Innocent to the big screen starring Harrison Ford. The film had an excellent soundtrack by John Williams and a supporting cast worthy of the classics of the genre. However, the film was considered a drawn-out, boring and moralistic courtroom thriller. Now, Apple TV+ has partnered with producer J.J. Abrams and creator David E. Kelley for a new miniseries adaptation. The result is quite contradictory, with aspects that improve the original and others that fail to surpass it.
More nuances and political plots
The Presumed Innocent miniseries improves on the original in some respects. With eight episodes, it has more time to develop the characters and expand some plots, especially the political ones that had little presence in the film. This will appeal to fans of the genre who haven’t read the book or seen the movie. However, the length of the miniseries can be a hindrance in maintaining the mystery and tensions effectively.
A more human protagonist
The protagonist of Presumed innocent is Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor suspected of the murder of a colleague. The miniseries remains faithful to the book and the film in many respects, but provides some variations in the description of the protagonist’s work and political environment. This makes the character more human and believable. However, the structure of the miniseries is conservative and the dramatic twists are not very clever.
A predictable but entertaining ending
As in the book and film, the killer’s identity can be guessed relatively easily if you pay attention and apply narrative logic. However, the charisma of the actors, such as Jake Gyllenhaal, and the quality of the supporting cast make the miniseries entertaining. If you’re looking for a good courtroom thriller on Apple TV+, you might be better off going with Defending Jacob, which deals with similar themes but with more intensity.
