The Verdict

Play trailer

2:05

The Verdict

R

Released Dec 8, 1982

2h 2m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A boozing lawyer (Paul Newman) takes on a law-firm dean (James Mason), the Archdiocese of Boston and the system in general.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Paul Newman is at the peak of his powers as an attorney who never lived up to his potential in The Verdict, supported by David Mamet's crackling script and Sidney Lumet's confident direction.

Read Critics Reviews

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

The portentousness is often a disservice to the actors, embedded in dead air with roles too feebly written to get the ventilation going.

Mar 1, 2024

Full Review

William Thomas

Empire Magazine

It's Newman's performance itself that really makes this film work and helps it truly get close to Lumet's own '12 Angry Men'.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 1, 2024

Full Review

Derek Malcolm

Guardian

It is difficult to remember a courtroom drama of such efficiency as The Verdict, nor better performances from Newman.

Mar 24, 2023

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…still works, largely due to Newman’s untypical performance that drives the narrative beyond character study to high drama…

Rated: 4/5

Jul 22, 2022

Full Review

Alistair Lawrence

Common Sense Media

Dated by the slew of movies and TV series that have followed, this 1982 courtroom drama, while solid enough, suffers from not delving enough into its main character.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 8, 2021

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Not only is it the top-shelf courtroom drama it is renowned to be thirty years later, the film is an outstanding character piece and a little bit of a lawyer's equivalent to a "one last score" job.

Rated: 5/5

Apr 12, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Rosana B

Fiz Direito, mas nunca quis advogar, participei do tribunal Juri e me apaixonei, filme de tribunal me atraem profundamente, seja pela beleza intelectual e de oratória dos grandes advogados, seja pela maestria em usar palavras, escritas (lei) e oral (defesa/acusação) em prol do seu "lado". Ainda que previsível, uma excelente produção, emocionante e cativante, Paul Newman geniosamente lembrou me Clint Eastwood, em meio a tantas balanças desniveladas, lampejo de justiça, adoravelmente reconfortante

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/08/24

Full Review

Michael W

This courtroom movie was really good. Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, James Mason, Jack Warden, James Handy, Roxanne Hart, and the rest of the cast did a fantastic job in this movie. The plot of the movie was dramatic, tense, and tragic. It's about working on a case to turn a wrongdoing into a victory for the victims. If you haven't seen this movie yet, check it out sometime. It's a must see.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/01/24

Full Review

Alec C

Justice may not come easy, but it does come through the people fighting for it! As a disgraced lawyer is given a medical malpractice case, he sees a chance to redeem himself amidst corruption and cynicism throughout the trial. Paul Newman adds the emotional weight in this emotional trial drama that will leave you bawling when the credits roll!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/20/24

Full Review

Paul J

One of, if not THE best Paul Newman movie. Powerful, modern performances. Riveting trial. And beautiful ending.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/07/24

Full Review

Marcus E

Watching in 2024 and it was a ok watch. Nothing extraordinary or superb, but watching it for free was ok. Not all that impressive and the late twist or three was just that as I clearly saw most of them coming.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/15/24

Full Review

Bob

I'm so glad I saw this in 2023, otherwise L.A. Law would have sucked even more.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/13/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Sidney Lumet

Director

Paul Newman

Frank Galvin

Charlotte Rampling

Laura Fischer

James Mason

Ed Concannon

Jack Warden

Mickey Morrissey

Milo O'Shea

Judge Hoyle

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

The Star Chamber

77%

42%

The Star Chamber

Watchlist

All the Right Moves

61%

39%

All the Right Moves

Watchlist

Vital Signs

43%

31%

Vital Signs

Watchlist

Harry and Tonto

88%

81%

Harry and Tonto

Watchlist

Come See the Paradise

64%

73%

Come See the Paradise

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Verdict: Trailer 1

2:05

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

A boozing lawyer (Paul Newman) takes on a law-firm dean (James Mason), the Archdiocese of Boston and the system in general.

Director: Sidney Lumet
Producer: Richard D. Zanuck, David Brown
Screenwriter: David Mamet
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 8, 1982, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 28, 2015
Runtime: 2h 2m

Most Popular at Home Now