Review of Jagged Edge (1985) by Travis C — 13 Feb 2011

An effective yet ultimately disposable courtroom thriller that benefits from the star power of Bridges and Close.

Following the brutal murder of his wife, Jack Forrester (Jeff Bridges) becomes the prime suspect in the case and calls in hardnosed lawyer Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close) to defend him in court. Naturally the pair's relationship quickly develops from a professional to a personal one, and Teddy finds herself in a major quandary as she begins to question whether Jack might have killed his wife after all.

As you can probably tell, Jagged Edge isn't the most original of movies, but for a throwaway thriller with the potential to keep you guessing, it's a worthy film. Both stars put in acceptable performances, although nothing to get too excited about. It's perhaps a little harsh to say, as she's undoubtedly delivered some great performances over the years, but I often find myself viewing Close as a less effective Meryl Streep. Her performance here is nothing to scoff at, but not particularly noteworthy either. Bridges on the other hand never fails to surprise me with how good looking he was in his younger years, and does enough to keep the audience wondering which side of good and evil his character's heart lies. The highlight of the cast is actually Robert Loggia playing Teddy's legal aide. He earned a surprise Oscar nomination for his supporting role, and manages to steal virtually every scene he's in.

The story is a familiar one but on the whole delivers an engaging mystery for audiences to solve. Richard Marquand, best known for directing Return of the Jedi, keeps events ticking along at a good pace, and while the film is not all that visually engaging, Marquand does give it a well-styled slickness. Meanwhile the San Francisco backdrop is always a personal highlight for me in any film, and makes a refreshing change from the typical New York setting that so many of these movies feel they must have.

Overall Jagged Edge is an acceptable but undeniably average movie. It passes in all major areas but doesn't excel in any, making this an enjoyable but easily forgotten film.