Review of The Verdict (1982) by Karl V — 27 Feb 2008

I've said before that the thing about courtroom movies is that if they don't have something special and compelling, they're really really boring and hard to get through. This movie comes close to being hard to get through but does have a little something special to keep it going.

The funny thing is, that something special isn't the story. Which is pretty boring and without excitment. It's the acting by Paul Newman and locations. Huge shiny marble and concrete court buildings, the streets of Boston, at once gloomy and homey at the same time, and smokey irish pubs.

The directing is solid, nothing fancy, which fits I guess. A good movie, easily predictable. Great dialogue. That's it.