Review of Reversal of Fortune (2003) by Dave J — 01 Feb 2011

Directed by Franco-Swiss director Barbet Schroeder, (best known for Maà (R)tresse (1976) and Barfly (1987)) and produced by Oliver Stone, this is a gripping legal drama revolving around a real life murder case that happened back in the early 1980's.

It's a very good film that's intriguing, even if it's tone and mood is all over the place due to it's juxtaposed nature. It has rich socialite Claus von BÃ 1/4low (Jeremy Irons), being accused with the attempted murder of his aristocratic wife Sunny von BÃ 1/4low (Glenn Close) by overdosing her on insulin, von BÃ 1/4low is found guilty.

However, von BÃ 1/4low wants a retrial, and appoints Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz (Ron Silver) to help him with his appeal. Dershowitz has his team of law students working to determine whether von BÃ 1/4low is not guilty, and the film flashes back to times in the von BÃ 1/4low marriage when things were a bit rocky.

Nothing is what it seems, and the evidence of the original case might be circumstantial, there's no clear motive for murder as Claus von BÃ 1/4low claims he loved Sunny, but he has an odd way of showing his love.

.. It's very well made, and very classy too. Although Irons and Close got most of the critical plaudits, the best performance in the film is Silver as Dershowitz, a man who has to believe that Claus von BÃ 1/4low is innocent, quite overlooked by the Academy there.

But, it's suspenseful and thoughtful in all the right places.