Things were much different 34 years ago when we got the first on-screen adaptation of Presumed Innocent in the form of a well-received film starring Harrison Ford. Author Scott Turow told Vanity Fair, “The first thing…said was, ‘This is going to have to be different from the book you wrote.'” He goes on to state that three producers reached out to him in a span of six weeks in hopes of crafting another adaptation of the 1990 hit.
Presumed Innocent is a chilling eight episode thriller that follows Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal) as he stands trial for the murder of his mistress, Caroline Polhemus (Renate Reinsve). His wife, Barbara, played by the ever-so-talented Ruth Negga, stands by his side as he is pressed by a duo of experienced prosecutors who were once his coworkers, Tommy Molto (Peter Saarsgard) and Nico Della Guardia (O-T Fagbenle). Sabich has worked many cases with Polhemus, and it was revealed that they were secret lovers, so it was a no-brainer that he would be first on the list of suspects, regardless of his status as one of the best in his department.
We are given many flashbacks, from moments of passion between Rusty and the victim to gruesome images of the crime scene that make it hard to tell whether or not he is innocent. One thing the storytelling does well is always keep you guessing who the killer is at all times. When you are convinced Sabich is innocent, something that makes you question everything is revealed. This happens many times throughout the episodes, with the final 8th episode uncovering the truth behind Carolyn’s death.
Apple TV+ is making a much-needed change to how shows are streamed, as they release the first two episodes on June 12th, then one episode every Wednesday until the finale on July 17th. This is how things should be, keeping the momentum and curiosity of the viewer peeked for as long as possible. Dumping an entire series on a streaming platform for less than 7 hours of consumption is unhealthy in keeping chatter alive for long. Presumed Innocent is the perfect title to do such a thing with, as it’s suspenseful, and each episode ends with a cliffhanger that makes it nearly unbearable to wait a week to see what happens.
Gyllenhaal is excellent. One thing we don’t often get to witness is him in a charismatic father figure role. Seeing how he interacts with his two kids, Kyle (Kingston Rumi Southwick) and Jaden (Chase Infiniti), was worth highlighting as a highlight of his performance. He’s likable, and you begin to feel sympathy for him until you are constantly reminded that he cheated on his wife on multiple occasions.
For some reason, Sarsgaard is so much of a natural at playing unlikable characters; I’m quite curious what he is like as a person. The way he is relentless in trying to prove Rusty’s guilt is intense, so much so that you’re led to believe he has some sort of chip on his shoulder when it comes to him. Their dominant personalities fused with their knowledge of the law make this one hell of a versus to watch play out.
Writer and producer David E. Kelley mentioned that things in the novel had to be updated as times changed considerably. Women are more protected today than they were 37 years ago. Technology has advanced to where incriminating text messages and location pings are a part of our digital footprint, and almost anything can be uncovered. A DNA database can serve as far more helpful now, with samples being able to be located in a vast number of places. This title is worthy of a reboot and can change with the times to reveal a more interesting story.
Presumed Innocent is a great watch, perhaps one of Apple TV+’s best series they’ve spearheaded. While it is highly unlikely it’ll see a second season (I wonder where else they could take it that will make for a follow-up), it’s a dramatic who-done-it that’ll keep you guessing until the end. While there’s a book and movie that the show is based on, we can’t be entirely sure which way they decided to go with the series and who is truly guilty of killing Carolyn Polhemus.