Summary:
Based on a true story. Sunny von Bulow lies in a coma and her husband Claus has been convicted on two counts of attempted murder. He says he’s innocent and hires Alan Dershowitz for his appeal.
My Thoughts:
I just recently rewatched “Dead Ringers” and I was absolutely blown away by Jeremy Irons’s performance. I knew that he’d won an Oscar for his role in this film so I decided to give it a go, and I was totally impressed. I knew next to nothing about this movie going in (not even that it was based on a true story), but as the story played out before me, I watched with growing anticipation for the next scene. This movie is one of the taughtest psychological thrillers I’ve seen in a while, and what makes it even more intriguing is that it’s all true.
“Well, before you assume I’m guilty, won’t you hear my story?”
At the start of our film Sunny von Bulow (Glenn Close, “The Wife”) lies in a coma from an apparent insulin overdose, and her second husband Claus (Jeremy Irons, “The Mission”) is blamed for it. In court he’s found guilty and he is charged with two counts of attempted murder. Claus appeals and hires Alan Dershowitz (Ron Silver, “Timecop”) as his lawyer. Despite all evidence pointing to Claus being guilty, he maintains his innocence, and so Alan brings together a team of his law students to help him with his case. Alan isn’t sure whether or not he believes Claus’s story, but regardless, he still works to get him free.
I really like the way this story is structured. We are introduced to the story by Sunny as she’s in her coma now. She acts as a kind of omnipresent narrator throughout the film, giving us insights into her character and those of her family. The narration is sometimes a little haunting, as she continuously alludes to the fact that Sunny never woke up from her coma Throughout the film, Glen Close’s narration guides us through the different flashbacks as her character walks us through hers and her husband’s relationship. Getting to know both characters is incredibly surreal; neither of them were particularly good to one another, and neither are likeable characters (then again, neither are their children).
Our main characters are all very intriguing. Sunny, it is revealed, has a bit of a pill problem, and that was apparently common knowledge to the other socialites she hung around with. While Sunny’s mental state deteriorated, Claus had a few multiple affairs with woman, with Sunny knowing about it full well. Clause admitted to his wife what was happening, but said that he still wanted to be married to her. He never really interfered with her destructive lifestyle and just allowed her to continue taking pills. Jeremy Iron’s plays Claus amazingly- it’s his ability to give off a sense of duality. He’s both a little bit frightening and seemingly a charming gentleman; you simultaneously believe he’s responsible for the crimes of which he’s accused and also believe he’s innocent. The lawyer Alan Dershowitz is also a fantastic character. His character comes at the case from multiple points of view, and while he struggles to come to a conclusion on whether or not he believes Claus’s story, he’s working tirelessly to ensure that he doesn’t go to prison. Alan’s point of view is the one where we see most of the facts and evidence presented, and the way that things are unveiled is incredibly compelling. We’re constantly shown new evidence that keeps us guessing; is or isn’t Claus responsible? At the same time, Alan looks over the evidence from the previous convictions and tries to find ways to poke holes in that case. In real life, this case broke some new ground with the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and it’s fascinating to watch the case play out before you. Alan’s character not only looks at the case from multiple angles, he also adds another layer of complexity by constantly looking at the moral implications of what’s happening.
(SOME SPOILERS ABOUT THE ENDING)
As this film is based on a true story I feel I can talk about the ending without really spoiling too much. In the end, Claus is acquitted and he goes free, as of the day I write this he’s still alive (he’s ninety-two). The way in which Claus was acquitted was somewhat through a technicality and some unreliable witness testimonies, but the truth of the matter is that Claus could still have been responsible. The movie is very coy with how it leaves things ambiguous. Irons is wonderful at playing Claus right down the fence- there are scenes when I was absolutely certain he did it, and other scenes when I believed Claus’s story, and I thought for sure he was innocent. The film leaves us with Sunny in a coma, and a voiceover saying that she’s probably the only living soul that will ever know the truth. When this film was made, Sunny had been in a Coma for ten years, and she lived another eighteen years after, never regaining consciousness.
Verdict:
This is a wonderfully chilling tale of suspense. It’s a whodunit that’s based on actual events, and it’s more compelling than your average paperback thriller. The story itself is handled in a way that is very tasteful and respectful to the people that were involved, and it’s careful to show both sides of the story in ways that are believable. Gripping dialogue, marvelously balanced performances, and precision directing elevate the film’s remarkable story. I would absolutely recommend this film to almost everyone I know- it’s a fast paced classy thriller I won’t forget any time soon.
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