I have always loved films. There are many great movies with alcohol as one of the leading characters. They range from hopeless tragedies to inspirational recovery stories. Seeing lives unfold up close and in fiction is a great way to observe ourselves. It showcases the magic of great storytelling to shine a light of truth on our circumstances and actions in life.
The Verdict hits the spot if you are looking for a classic film expertly written and artfully delivered for maximum pleasure and motivation to continue working toward your best self.
The Verdict is a courtroom drama, but it is also an inquiry into the consequences of our actions and what makes up our ultimate character. We are what we do and how we interact with each other and the world. No one gets it perfectly, and there is always room for improvement.
In this film, Paul Newman plays Frank Galvin, a 50-something Boston lawyer with a troubled career and messy personal life, all mostly due to his struggle with alcohol. The film opens with a depressing day drinking scene at a pub where he is drinking straight whiskey and playing pinball. He returns haggard and ill-composed to his office and begins having it out with himself, the filing cabinets, and the furniture.
A knock on the door from an old lawyer friend and last loyal holdout interrupts him as he is nursing a self-inflicted bloody face wound. His friend has a gig for him, an easy money case, and his last hope to survive the rest of his life with some income and dignity. Upon seeing Frank’s condition, his friend, Mickey, played by Jack Warden, warns him that this is it, truly his last chance, and storms out leaving us perched on the edge of Frank’s next set of decisions and the measure of his soul.
With a screenplay written by David Mamet and directed by Sidney Lumet, the film is aesthetically engaging, expertly acted, and perhaps slow and studious for some, but thoroughly rewarding. I don’t want to give a spoiler here, but it is a tale of redemption and a study of some characters who didn’t make it. The essence of each deciding moment and habit stream of our lives is richly depicted.
Included is a major bonus for those who didn’t experience the analog life of the 80s directly, or those nostalgic for it with features such as rotary phones, long dial tones, wood, glass, steel furniture and objects, classic architecture and details, and lighting and ambiance that will take you there. Make yourself a fresh cup of coffee or a favorite mocktail, and sit back and enjoy this artful and transformative film.
Frank Galvin: I changed my life today, what did you do?
Laura Fischer: I changed my room at the hotel.
Frank Galvin: Why did you do that?
Laura Fischer: TV didn't work.
