Review of Reversal of Fortune (1990) by Tim B — 01 Feb 2010

Reversal of Fortune is an ambiguously satisfying and compelling attempted murder/mystery film which features Jeremy Irons (for which he won an Oscar), Ron Silver, Glenn Close, and a bunch of those "Where have I seen them before?" actors.

The film centers around Ron Silver's (law professor Alan Dershowitz) attempt to overturn the attempted murder conviction of the circumstantially suspicious, yet likely innocent Jeremy Irons through the appellate process. Irons has been convicted of attempting to kill his wife, Glenn Close, who has been left in a permanent comatose state as a result. Both Silver and Irons shine in their excellently performed roles, but Irons' unique British character, which arguably satirizes the envious lifestyle of a wealthy and chain-smoking Englishman socialite, steals the show. Seriously, I don't think we see Irons once without a cigarette in his hand.

While the film started off cheesy and slightly confusing, the eventual progression of the plot through various flashbacks and theories makes this borderline dark comedy highly captivating and compelling. The film seems to almost play out as a homage to a 50's or 60's British private investigator mystery television show (minus the private investigator).

Reversal of Fortune (a true story) was not what I expected, but in a positive way. I highly recommend this film for its classic performances, excellent screenplay, and overall originality.