Rating: 
Summary: Three American Masters: Lumet, Newman, Mamet
Review: Sidney Lumet. David Mamet. Paul Newman. Charlotte Rampling. Jack Warden. James Mason. Thats a lot of talent & everyone is at their best in this movie which is often referred to as a courtroom drama but really only a very small amount of this film actually takes place in court. Much more time is spent at the local bars Frank Gavin has spent his waning years drowning in. Frank says at one point, "its a long road that doesn't have any turns in it." Well the court case that Jack Warden hands him on a silver platter is one of those turns. And to Franks credit he more than rises to the occasion but not without many moments of self-doubt and self-examination. Frank also begins a love affair while he is preparing to go to trial and that love affair with Charlotte Rampling is well drawn. Both are at all time low points in their lives. She keeps up with Frank when he is drinking and has as many tales of woe as he. That is yet another attractive component to this many layered look at Frank. As the relationship develops Frank is forced to see himself and his failures through her eyes and that as much as the pending court case contributes to his reformation. Charlotte Rampling gives a wonderful performance as a woman at the end of her rope, just barely hanging on. She needs the relationship to work but has very little left in the way of emotional resources. She too is looking to rehabilitate herself and is in a unique position to understand Franks efforts. Mamet is great at tough love and the most famous scene in the movie is certainly that.
Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon is one of the most studied films by up and coming directors, and this one too has some of those masterful director signature moments in it, ie the last scene in the movie with Paul in his office after the trial and the phone ringing and ringing and Paul just sitting still in his newfound quiet. Fade out to credits.
Rating:
Summary: The Very Best of Its Genre
Review: Simply put there is no American film of this genre that comes close. Director Lumet darkly captures the naked power and corruption of the American civil trial system. Actors O'Shea (the judge), Mason (the 'prince of darkness' defense counsel) and Charlotte Rampling (whose shock is best left unrevealed) are the epitome of the seedy wheels of what passes for justice and 'love'. Newman, an alcoholic with one last prospect, struggles for redemption against mountainous odds, giving the most honest performance of his career. Warden is Newman's essential wiser alter ego. This film is no less than that rare cimematic device -- the allegory. Each character represents a larger truth -- in addition to Mason, O'Shea, and Rampling, Joe Seneca as a black, ancient (degraded) doctor for the vegetative plaintiff; Catholic archidiocese bishop Ed Binns up to his collar in fraud; a nationally-renowned physician with secret blood on his hands; and a simple honest woman who wanted nothing more than to be a nurse - Lindsay Crouse in a career performance. And there is the superb Mamet writing throughout. This is a courtroom thriller that will nail you to your seat to the very end. And absolutely true to life -- my view, at least, after 20 years as a lawyer. I also teach law and never miss a chance to show this film to my students. An amazing cinematic achievement, disturbing in its implications.
Rating: 
Summary: Paul Newman does it again.
Review: Summary:
Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) appears to be a dried up, alcoholic attorney that seems more interested in chasing ambulances and drinking then actually working. When a friend, Mickey Morrissey (Jack Warden), gets him a cut and dry case of medical negligence, Frank has to decide whether he wants to sober up and take it. Eventually Frank has something of a revelation that a grave injustice has taken place here (a young woman is in a coma because she was given the wrong anesthetic) and instead of settling for the pittance that was initially offered, Frank decides to take the case to court. Everything and everyone seems to be working against him, from the Judge (Milo O'Shea) to his newfound girlfriend (Charlotte Rampling) to his expert witness (Joe Seneca). But, believing this case is worth pursuing, Frank pushes it through to the end and is surprised by the result.My Comments:
The more movies I see with Paul Newman in them the more I realize that he is a superb actor. He offers another brilliant portrayal in this movie and, frankly, is pretty much the entire movie. The other characters seem to be hanging on to his coattails. The movie is interesting, but the story is not particularly astounding. You can pretty much guess what is going to happen in the end because pretty much every court case that is turned into a movie is a victory for the underdog. However, the court case, though it does serve to make or break the man, is really only peripheral to the transformation we see in Frank which is the focus of the movie.
Rating:
Summary: The Verdict: Winner!
Review: The power of this movie are the performances! Newman delivers like a sledge hammer, in such subtle ways. From his subdued dialogue, to his facial expressions, Newman slowly brings this movie the climax of his summation! WOW!
Rating: 
Summary: the film lets down the star
Review: THE VERDICT is one of Paul Newman's most celebrated performances. He plays a down-at-the-heels lawyer named Frank Galvin who lucks his way into a big case involving two doctors who have been horribly negligent, sending a young woman into a coma.
Newman wonderfully gets at Galvin's desperation, and how he fights through an alcoholic haze. It's a thoughtfully worked out performance centered around Newman's wonderfully expressive eyes. Sadly, the rest of THE VERDICT could be taught in a Courtroom Movie Cliche 101 class. The lone lawyer vs the big firm (led by James Mason), altered documents, surprise witnesses, shenanigans by the hospital, it's all here. Even though I enjoyed the acting and the Boston atmosphere, I saw a lot of the plot coming.
The cast includes Jack Warden as Newman's only friend, Joe Seneca, Lindsay Crouse, Wesley Addy, and a chilly Charlotte Rampling as a mysterious woman who crosses Newman's path. The commentary by director Sidney Lumet is of the "everybody was great/this is where we shot" variety.
Rating:
Summary: A Film Masterpiece
Review: The Verdict is one of the finest films one could ever hope to see. It is written and directed perfectly, supporting cast was superb and Newman did not only his finest work, but the finest work an actor could do on film. An Academy Award would have been an insult - this performance wasn't about a popularity contest, it was about telling a story in a meaningful and real way. They nailed it. P.S. Just let it ring, Frankie.
Rating:
Summary: A Monumental Cinematic Treasure
Review: THE VERDICT may date back to 1982, but few courtroom films since then can come close to matching the powerful production in this near perfect film written by David Mamet and directed with tension, grit, and tenderness by Sidney Lumet. Paul Newman's performance as the alcoholic has-been lawyer called upon to try a case of medical malpractice is one of the finest acting performances in history. He is more than ably abetted by his sidekick Jack Warden. The lawyer for the defense is the haughty and evil James Mason and the real surprise in the cast is Milo O'Shea in a terrifyingly real role of a smarmy Judge. Charlotte Rampling, still one of today's finest actresses, plays the understated love interest. Minor roles become major when they are in the hands of such gifted actors as Lindsay Crouse and Julia Bravasso. But one unsung hero of this fine film is the cinematographer who manages to make every shot appear like a Renaissance painting, so sensitive is he to light and shadow and frame composition. THE VERDICT is a powerful story of the underdog's struggle for truth in the judicial system and as such is a reminder of how the Law, when stripped to its essentials, is there to protect us. There is no pat ending, only a feeling of breathlessness as all of the details of the story are left to our imagination - well, almost. A strikingly powerful, meaningful, brilliantly executed film.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this for the Paul Newman commentary
Review: This classic tale of redemption is certainly a must-have for any lover of great films. My only complaint is that the commentary is billed as being by both the director Sidney Lumet and Paul Newman but Newman's contribution is maybe a minute long, comes almost at the ending of the film and is not even scene specific.
Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this for the Paul Newman commentary
Review: This classic tale of redemption is certainly a must-have for any lover of great films. My only complaint is that the commentary is billed being by both the director Sidney Lumet and Paul Newman but Newman's contribution is maybe a minute long, comes almost at the ending of the film and is not even scene specific.
Rating:
Summary: A grand film of triumph over failure
Review: This film is one of the best in Paul Newman's stellar career, and he carries it convincingly with a spare, taut, no-frills performance. His Frank Galvin, an alcoholic has-been attorney with a bleak future is a defeated and pathetic figure, reduced to appearing at funeral homes during visitation hours to hustle business from bereaved family members. Even when long-time friend Mickey Morrissey [Jack Warden] hands Galvin a lucrative case on a silver platter, his star witness disappears to an unknown Caribbean island after having promised to testify against the hospital and Catholic Church for malpractice. Galvin's determination to see the case through is the first step to his recovery from the bottle and self-pity. The comatose woman's sister and brother-in-law who he represents in court have lost confidence in Galvin, he seems overmatched by the glib and polished Ed Concannon [James Mason] who represents the interests of the Church, and he has incurred the wrath of a biased, mean-spirited judge [Milo O'Shea]. To make matters worse, his girlfriend Laura [Charlotte Rampling] is little more than a Trojan horse in the Galvan camp and her true intentions come to light only after Mickey stumbles on the truth quite by chance. The movie was filmed under Boston's gray, overcast skies and has a gloomy forecast for Galvin in his quest for redemption and reward for a man who has been defeated by life but makes one last attempt to get off the deck and regain his self-respect and stature in his profession.
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