Review of Reversal of Fortune (1990) by Anna B — 19 Apr 2012

This was the film that earned Jeremy Irons his Best Actor Oscar back in the early 1990's. Personally, I think he deserved more Oscars than this one alone, but this performance was certainly one of his finest hours. He plays Claus, the husband of a very rich socialite, whom he married for her money (or so she believes at least). On two separate occasions, his wife (ably played by Glenn Close) suffers an unexplained coma, much to the shock of her two children. After the second coma, she enters what's called a persistent vegetative state, about as close as it's possible to come to death without dying. Immediately, her children find Claus guilty and they hire a P.I. to look into the matter. After gathering evidence and preparing a case, Claus is brought to court and found guilty. However, convinced that he is absolutely innocent, he appeals and summons a Harvard law professor (played by Silver) to defend him. This is where the film begins, in Claus' attempts to prove his innocence and have his sentence reversed.

This film is a true story, which is a thoroughly interesting point. It is based on a book written by the law professor himself after the case. This, one would think, could easily lead the film into the territory of bias and taking sides, but I think it does a wonderful job in avoiding such conflicts. Instead of "telling us" what happened, the filmmakers offer many tantalising choices so that any assumptions we make are purely of our own accord. This excellent technique contributes to the picture's effectiveness.

Irons, however, is the Star of this picture. His performance as Claus goes down in my memory as probably his finest performance (along with his portrayal of Humbert in Lolita). Everything from his accent, to his way of walking, to the way he interacts with female characters is done to a tee, and it was only right that the Academy should honour him with an Oscar. Glenn Close, as his wife, Sunny, is also effective. The choice of leads could not have been much better.