Absence Of Malice

Absence Of Malice (1981)
Cast: Paul Newman, Sally Field
Language: English
Running Time: 116 mins
Director(s): Sydney Pollack
Censor Certificate: U/A
Genre: Drama
Plot: Paul Newman plays the son of a long dead Mafia boss who is a simple liquor warehouse owner. A prosecutor leaks a false story that Newman is a target of the investigation, hoping that he will tell them something for protection. As his life begins to unravel, others are hurt by the story. Sally Field, the reporter, is in the clear under the Absence of Malice rule in slander and libel cases. Knowing nothing to trade to the prosecutors, Newman must regain control of his life on different ground.
My Review:In America,can a man be guilty until proven innocent?Suppose you picked up this morning's newspaper & your life was a front page headline.....& everything they said was accurate but not true.This is the dilema that must be faced in this drama about incredible power of press.I am not a big fan of Paul Newman.He has no expressions almost throughout the movie.The subject & story is good.Absence of Malice fails in my review due to Absence of background score.This drama could've been powerful either with great background score or dramatic,high pitched dialogues.But all the characters in this movie are so calm & composed.Even the climax is so dull.Certainly not my kind,even though I love political thrillers.But I am certain that I would've loved it in 1981.
My Rating:3/5,Worth it,watch it once