The Verdict
Director: Sidney Lumet
Year Released: 1982
Rating: 3.0
Paul Newman is great as an alcoholic ambulance chaser that has lost his last several court cases, but finds promise (and the possibility for redemption) in a botched operation case, leaving a young woman brain damaged. The subplot that has Newman romantically involved with a young woman fails because it's poorly developed and written - by the end, I still couldn't figure out exactly what why she did the things she did. Many questions arise with regards to where the main plot is going, and the details are heedlessly discarded in order for them not to interfere with the drama or Newman's performance, who carries the movie. James Mason has a nice, low-key role as Newman's foil and Jack Warden is great as Newman's sympathetic friend. Love the pinball metaphor.
