‘Presumed Innocent’ Review: Jake Gyllenhaal Leads David E. Kelly’s Gripping Adaptation for Apple TV Plus
Jake Gyllenhaal in Apple TV Plus’ “Presumed Innocent”
David E. Kelly’s The Undoing, the 2019 HBO miniseries, was based on a simple high concept: how far will you go to justify Hugh Grant’s character’s excuses, to defend the man accused of brutally murdering his mistress, while his wife watches but fails to understand what is happening? The successful TV writer/producer is back with a vengeance, with the gripping Apple TV Plus thriller Presumed Innocent, which follows in the footsteps of The Undoing in many ways, but changes the central premise. This time, the audience is asked to act as the jury in Rusty Sabich’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) trial, but to always keep in mind the most important part of our job as jurors: to achieve a conviction, there must be certainty beyond a reasonable doubt.
That’s exactly what the entire series rests upon. The prosecutors have plenty of circumstantial evidence, but they know, as much as the defense, that there is still plenty of room for either side to present a case that is compelling enough as a story, rather than facts. That, along with some tense writing and nuanced character personalities make for a fascinating thriller that manages to follow Kelly’s formula yet still allows for some twists and turns that make it interesting enough for those of us well versed in it.
The setting is not entirely unfamiliar. Gyllenhaal plays Rusty, Chicago’s chief deputy prosecutor, a married man and father of two children who was having an affair with a co-worker, Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve). But when the young woman is found brutally murdered in her apartment and the police start digging up, the focus is suddenly on Rusty. His wife, Barbara (Ruth Negga), knew that they’d had an affair in the past, but was unaware that it’d continued — and definitely blind to the extent to which her husband was obsessing over his lover.
As his case worsens by the minute, he decides to hire as his attorney his boss, Bill Camp’s Ray Horgan, who was seeking re-election and who was defeated by the same prosecutors who are now mounting a case against Rusty. It’s not just about atoning Rusty anymore — it’s an all-out war to make the case for who should have won the election had there not been a PR nightmare surrounding it. At this point it should be mentioned: I’ve only seen seven of the eight episodes, so I’m not one to judge whether the ending of the series is satisfying enough.
Jake Gyllenhaal in Apple TV Plus’ “Presumed Innocent”
The story is the second adaptation of Scott Turow’s novel of the same name, first turned into a film in 1990 by Alan J. Pakula, which starred Harrison Ford. Perhaps being unfamiliar with both the novel and the film helped my enjoyment of it, but even putting that aside, the writing is elevated enough to keep us invested in the characters and continue to play our job as jurors. For the most part, either side fails to present an alternative suspect to Rusty, but is that enough?
Soon enough, the judging of the facts turns into a judgment of the person. Gyllenhaal’s charismatic performance on the surface can give the impression that he could have never done anything like this, but the brilliance of casting the Nightcrawler actor in the lead role comes into play really early, as we can’t just shake the feeling that there is something off with this guy — all thanks to his portrayal of the man who seems to be one snap away from losing control over his body.
As usual with Kelly’s approach to thrillers, the story is as much about the “who did it” as it is about the exploration of the psyche of the man who looks very much like he could have done it. It’s an in-depth look at obsession and the dangerous roads it can lead to. It takes a close look at modern family dynamics: What happens when the wife forgives the husband after he confesses to an affair in the past — and what happens when that comes back to haunt them? Before Rusty receives the phone call informing him of Carolyn’s death, Barbara is under the impression that the biggest concerns in their lives are his husband’s office’s political ambitions. Rusty’s state of mind right before taking that call is unclear throughout the series, though.
(L-R) Ruth Negga and Jake Gyllenhaal in Apple TV Plus’ “Presumed Innocent”
Gyllenhaal’s performance is perfect for the series because of the layers he’s able to bring to the character — not necessarily emotional ones, but rather some nuances that may indicate there’s more to him than meets the eye. It’s clear that this guy was going to crumble sooner rather than later, but did he fall from the top from which he towers over everyone in his life deep enough to actually kill someone, or was it always a case of wrong place, wrong time? Even the times when he tries to defend himself by showing compassion towards the victim and love towards his family come across as forced. Empty.
But all the coldness put into Gyllenhaal’s turn as Rusty is contrasted by the emotional turmoil felt by Ruth Negga, who is the other standout in the series. There are some obvious gender dynamics between the two that are slightly studied, and Negga’s poignant depiction of a woman who had silently tried to put herself together for the good of her family, only for it all to come back to haunt her as her life crumbles before her eyes, is alone a good enough reason to watch the series. In a speech early on, she admits to being unable to participate in the acting circus that a trial can become. She’s not going to hide her emotions, both because that would be insulting the jury’s intentions, and also because she’s not going to stand for it anymore.
Thrillers end up being as satisfying as their endings, and whether this is the case for Presumed Innocent or not, I can’t say without having seen the final episode. But judging from everything I’ve seen, I’m very confident that they’ll be able to wrap it up.
The first two episodes of Presumed Innocent are currently available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
Miguel Fernández is a Spanish student that has movies as his second passion in life. His favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings, but he is also a huge Star Wars fan. However, fantasy movies are not his only cup of tea, as authors like Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he started to understand the language of filmmaking. He is that guy who will watch a black and white movie, just because it is in black and white.
