Review of The Verdict (1982) by Jennifer A — 11 May 2008

[b]The Verdict (1982) - 6.5/10[/b].

Director - Sidney Lumet.

Starring - Paul Newman, Jack Warden, Charlotte Rampling, James Mason, Milo O-Shea, Edward Binns, Lindsay Crouse, Joe Seneca.

Paul Newman stars as Frank Galvin, an "ambulance chasing" lawyer on a losing streak. He's also a drunk. When out trying to chase down clients, he stumbles across a woman who is now comatose due to doctor's neglience. The hospital, run by the Catholic Church, offers a sizable settlement but Galvin suddenly becomes emotionally involved and decides to take the malpractive case to court despite the long odds. The film co-stars Jack Warden as Galvin's assistant, Charlotte Rampling as a mysterious woman who suddenly enters Galvin's life, and James Mason as the ruthless defense attorney.

The film recieved 5 Academy Award nominations, including Best Director for Sidney Lumet, Best Actor for Paul Newman and Best Picture. Honestly it doesn't really distinguish itself from other courtroom dramas. Competent yes, outstanding no. Many consider this to be one of Paul Newman's best performances, but I'm not in that camp either. He's good, not great. The one standout performance belongs to James Mason, who didn't even garner a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Worth seeing if you're a huge Newman or Lumet fan, otherwise I wouldn't bump this up in your queue.