(Wow, she really fought against sleeping with her client, didn‘t she? Not…)
CAST: Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Robert Loggia, Peter Coyote, Maria Mayenzet, Leigh Taylor-Young, Karen Austin.
DIRECTOR: Richard Marquand
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and highly questionable legal eagle antics straight ahead…
Our next review, the twisty courtroom thriller JAGGED EDGE, has a special place in my heart. Not because it’s a suspenseful - if also highly implausible - thriller. Not because it’s a terrific showcase for the acting talents of Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Robert Loggia, and Peter Coyote. Not because it was one of the surprise box-office hits of 1985. While I do love JAGGED EDGE for all the above reasons, there’s another one that makes it sit in a prominent place in my pantheon of “Must-See-Movies.”
The part where Glenn Close’s character’s costume changes three times - in one scene. And trust me when I say it wasn’t supposed to. See, the scene is the first day of the trial that our heroine, Teddy Barnes (Close), is trying, and while I may not be an attorney or smart enough to be one, I do know this: they do not change out their suits completely in between cross-examinations on the same goddamn day. Seriously, folks… the first time I saw this scene as a kid I had to slap myself over and over again to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. And nothing is more disconcerting to parents anywhere than seeing their young son slapping himself relentlessly. That’s the kind of shit that gets your parents talking to an exorcist. Kind of cuts into playground time - if you know what I’m saying.
At any rate, enough about the infamous “three-outfits-in-one-scene”; we should probably discuss what the fuck JAGGED EDGE is about. Basically, it’s about this ultra-rich San Francisco dude named John “Jack” Forrester (Jeff Bridges), who is accused of the grisly murder of his heiress wife, Paige (Maria Mayenzet). He employs the services of hot-shot attorney, Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close), who used to work for the District Attorney’s office until a falling out with her boss, Thomas Krasny (Peter Coyote), led to her defection to the corporate (and more profitable) side - and a personal vow to never practice criminal law ever again.
That vow is tested when her senior partners pretty much beg her to take the case. Evidently, she’s the only one in the firm with any kind of criminal law background, and they desperately want to keep Jack as a client - even if it means tossing Teddy back into the field that she despises so much?
Before you know it, Teddy has agreed to represent Jack, but on one condition: she will only represent Jack if she believes he’s innocent. Now, as I mentioned before, I know I’m not the smartest person out there, and I certainly know I’m not smart enough to be a lawyer, but - again - I know this much for certain: defense attorneys supposed to defend their clients whether or not they believe in their innocence. Which makes Teddy’s condition kind of, well, stupid. And this is a stupid person making that statement, so that’s saying something.
At any rate, Jack agrees to Teddy’s condition, stating that he’s innocent and she ain‘t got nothing to worry about. Now, either Jack is the hottest creature on the planet (he’s played by a young, clean-shaven Jeff Bridges, so he comes close) and can get anyone to believe anything he says, or Teddy is about as dumb as a dumpster full of styrofoam packing peanuts. Because not only does she believe him on the spot, but she also does the following: (1) goes horse-back riding with him; (2) makes major googley eyes at him; and (3) fucks him until he can barely walk. Or, more accurately, he fucks her until she can barely walk. Which is not good for a defense attorney, because it just looks sad when you have to make your opening statement holding on to the edge of the jury counter because your legs feel like jelly.
Then there’s the real question of Jack’s guilt. Evidently, Paige was getting ready to divorce him. And that would’ve ruined him. Did he kill her before she could get the ball rolling? Even more troubling is the fact that Jack - despite his claims to the contrary - was apparently unfaithful with another woman (Diane Erickson). Add to that the allegation that a knife very similar to the murder weapon was found in Jack’s locker at the country club - and I guess you could say our sistah Teddy has got a major dilemma on her hands.
Is this guy the “perfect husband” that everyone makes him out to be? Or is he, as Thomas Krasny says, an “iceman” capable of anything? Will Teddy regret believing in his innocence? Or is he truly not guilty? How can Teddy defend someone she is both falling in love with and still cannot trust? What secret from her own past might affect her decisions in the present? And the most important question of all: is Jeff Bridges hotter in this flick or STARMAN?
Inquiring minds want to know…
BUT, SERIOUSLY: In our review for BASIC INSTINCT (review # 83), we discussed films that are so well-cast, sharply-written, and cleverly-filmed, that any potential gaps in plausibility are easily papered over by sheer cinematic elan. BASIC INSTINCT could’ve easily failed, but the talents of writer Joe Eszterhas, stars Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone, and director Paul Verhoeven easily save the movie - and turn it into a guilty pleasure worth savoring over and over again.
JAGGED EDGE is yet another movie of this kind, and it bears more than a passing resemblance to BASIC INSTINCT: (1) it is about a protagonist falling in love with a love interest who may be a vicious killer, (2) it stars actors who elevate the film with their performances, (3) it is helmed by a director who knows his stuff, and (4) it is written by once-uber screenwriter Joe Eszterhas.
This is quite telling, because Eszterhas’ films all have the same formula: an innocent lead is seduced by an enigmatic love interest who may or may not be deadly. He explored this premise in film after film: JAGGED EDGE, BETRAYED, THE MUSIC BOX, BASIC INSTINCT, SLIVER, and JADE. Only the details were different. Of these films, BASIC INSTINCT and JAGGED EDGE were the best.
That’s not to say that JAGGED EDGE is perfect, though. Far from it. The film suffers from some truly ludicrous suspensions of disbelief. Specifically to do with Teddy Barnes’ actions. Here is a woman who is accomplished, intelligent, and sharp - yet she believes in her client’s innocence at the drop of a hat - and sleeps with him even quicker. It’s a testament to the energy and confidence of the script - and Close’s performance - that we don’t dwell on this too much.
As the enigmatic (and possibly lethal) Jack Forrester, Jeff Bridges hits all the right notes of stoicism and charisma. Forrester is an ambitious guy who’ll stop at nothing to realize his vision - but is this enough to make him a murderer? Credit goes to Bridges for layering the thinnest veneer of ambiguity to this “all-american-guy” character. Another actor might have played Jack Forrester as squeaky-clean. Bridges, however, blends in a hint of danger - which might help explain Teddy’s attraction to him.
The rest of the cast is aces, with Robert Loggia, Peter Coyote, Karen Austin, and Leigh Taylor-Young lending more-than-able support as characters who play pivotal roles in the unfolding mystery. Coyote, in particular, is great as the unethical and unscrupulous D.A. Thomas Krasny who’ll stop at nothing (even breaking the law) to get the verdict that he wants.
In the end, JAGGED EDGE rates as a good film because of the stellar talent involved. Try not to think about the plot (or the heroine’s actions) too much, and you’ll be entertained.
