By James V. Ruocco
Downstairs, her husband Jack (Jeff Bridges) has been knocked unconscious with a blunt instrument by the assailant. Or so he says. When discovered in shock, Jack is rushed to the hospital. But the only fingerprints that the police find are Jack's and the two victims - Page Forrester and a Spanish maid.
Such is the premise for "Jagged Edge," a suspenseful, neatly-packaged courtroom drama, tautly written by Joe Eszterhas, an obvious fan of the crime story concept.
While some films have a tendency to overplay courtroom scenes with endless, often padded testimonies, Eszterhas' treatment is blunt and to the point. This, in turn, alleviates any kind of boredom. Like the jury, the viewer can't wait to discover the next bit of evidence.
Did Jack Forrester murder his wife in cold blood? Or is he innocent?
In prosecutor Thomas Krasny's eyes, well-played by Peter Coyote, Jack Forrester is guilty. He believes Forrester inflicted the head injuries to himself the night of the murder.
Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close), a former prosecutor who worked as an assistant district attorney under Krasny, believes in Forrester's innocence. After launching her own investigation, she tells Forrester "I'm going to get you off." Then, she hops into bed with him but is quick to keep her affair a secret, especially from Krasny.
Forrester and Barnes' relationship, though hokey, is nonetheless treated seriously by Eszterhas and the performers. On one level, the viewer sees two people drawn together by unavoidable circumstances. Barnes is an attractive, yet lonely woman and Jack, a real ladies' man, finds her intriguing. But if forced to accept Krasny's theory about Forrester, this affection, like his head wound, could also be an act. To say anything more, however, would spoil the film's enjoyment.
For the courtroom scenes, Eszterhas has lined up a colorful assortment of witnesses, all of whom contribute largely to the film's intriguing storyline. Here, both Close and Coyote have equal opportunity to cross-examine each witness, using the kind of straight-forward strategy that often surprises and adds new twists to the trial.
Most outstanding are the testimonies given by Bobby Slade (Marshall Colt), a handsome tennis pro who had an affair with Page Forrester and Virginia Howell (Leigh-Taylor Young), Page's best friend.
Working from Eszterhas' screenplay, director Richard Marquand keeps the viewer engrossed in the entire story by presenting Forrester as an innocent man or possible manipulator. This concept not only heightens the film's excitement, but during the action-packed finale thrusts the audience on the edge of their seats. And when the actual murderer is revealed, a jolt of real surprise occurs.
Jeff Bridges, an actor whose work I've long admired ("The Last Picture Show," "The Last American Hero," "Starman," "Against All Odds") is ideally cast as the charming and sexy Jack Forrester. He easily projects the image of an innocent man who uses charm and charisma to full advantage. Then, there are times when he knocks you completely off balance by toying with your emotions, playing the wild card or slyly swaying you to his side during the film's highly emotional courtroom scenes. Glenn Close, also on view in the hit comedy "Maxie," gives an equally impressive performance as Forrester's troubled, upright defense attorney. She plays the part beautifully straight with just the right emotion, nuance, toughness and intelligence.
A courtroom drama that dangles clues, twists, surprises, false leads and revelations so efficiently, "Jagged Edge" is a wildly effective whodunit that delivers the goods and everything else with power, realism and slick, slithery impact. It is well worth a trip to the movie theaters for anyone prepared for an upscale roller-coaster ride...and then some.
(This review was originally published on October 17, 1985)
(Additional changes, edits, corrections and new commentary were incorporated on August 11, 2020)
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