Presumed Innocent's 2 Big Changes Give Jake Gyllenhaal A Major Advantage Over The Original Movie

Warning! Contains spoilers for Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent.

Two major changes in Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent give the show a significant advantage over the 1990 movie. Based on Scott Turow’s legal thriller novel of the same name, the Presumed Innocent movie and show adopt very similar narratives. Both focus on prosecutor Rusty Sabich, who gets accused of murdering his former coworker, Carolyn Polhemus. The movie and the show also walk through the emotional turmoil Rusty’s family has to endure because of his past actions.

The two adaptations also unfold as typical legal thrillers by keeping the identity of the central killer a mystery and prompting viewers to become armchair detectives. However, despite sharing many narrative parallels, Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent and the movie are different in more ways than one. Of all the differences, two arguably make the show relatively better than the movie.

Raymond Does Not Defend Rusty In The Presumed Innocent Movie

Raymond Is An Entirely Different Character In The Apple TV+ Show

In the 1990 movie, Rusty Sabich (Harrison Ford) does not ask Raymond (Brian Dennehy) to defend him. Instead, he approaches a top attorney named Sandy Stern, who helps him prove his innocence in court. The movie’s version of Raymond also commits perjury by falsely testifying that Rusty insisted on handling Carolyn’s case. Raymond also had a brief affair with Carolyn Polhemus in the movie. Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent completely changes Rusty (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Raymond’s (Bill Camp) dynamic by establishing them as best friends.

This is why Raymond asks Rusty to handle Carolyn’s murder case before he learns about his affair with her. After Rusty becomes a prime suspect in the murder, the show’s version of Raymond agrees to defend him in court despite initially resenting him for cheating on his wife. The show benefits from these changes because Raymond representing Rusty in court adds political intrigue to its story and increases the stakes of Raymond and Guardia’s rivalry. At the same time, it also adds new layers to Rusty and Raymond’s complex relationship, making their dynamic more emotionally resonant.

Instead of showing that Bill Camp’s Raymond also had an affair with Carolyn, the show portrays him as a loyal family man who only takes up Rusty’s case because he loves his job and fears getting older. Despite defending Rusty, he keeps confronting him for putting his family through so much trouble. Both Bill Camp and Jake Gyllenhaal also do an incredible job of channeling their characters’ on-screen companionship.

The Movie’s Carolyn Was Not Pregnant At The Time Of Her Death

Carolyn Polhemus Was Sterile In The Movie

In the Harrison Ford movie, the fluid sample collected from the spermicidal contraceptive on Carolyn is what makes Rusty the prime suspect in the case. However, it is later disclosed that Carolyn had gone through a surgical procedure to avoid pregnancy, which gave her no reason to use the contraceptive. With this as a lead, Rusty’s defendant in the movie argues that the fluid sample was not taken from Carolyn’s body. This eventually helps Rusty win the case and prove his innocence.

The show, in contrast, confirms that Carolyn was pregnant at the time of her murder. A DNA test later proves that she was pregnant with Rusty’s child, which solidifies Rusty as the prime suspect. Changing this detail from the original movie is clever on the show’s part because it forces viewers to question whether Rusty might actually be the killer. The Apple TV+ Jake Gyllenhaal show also portrays Rusty as a more morally gray character than his movie counterpart, which makes the central murder mystery even more thrilling.

Related

Presumed Innocent Cast & Character Guide

Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent walks through a gripping courtroom drama that features several familiar actors but also ones who are relatively obscure.

Other Movie Changes In Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent Explained

The Show Introduces Several Other Changes That Benefit Its Story

Unlike the movie’s Rusty and Barbara, who only have a young son, the show complicates the Sabich family dynamic by showing how the couple has a teenage son and daughter. Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent also makes its cast more diverse, allowing it to have a more inclusive portrayal of its central legal drama. For instance, while the movie’s Barbara Sabich is played by Bonnie Bedelia, Ruth Negga takes on the role in the show. The Presumed Innocent show also adds new characters to the mix, including Raymond’s wife, Lorraine Horgan, portrayed by Bill Camp’s real-life wife, Elizabeth Marvel.

Presumed Innocent‘s new episodes are released every Wednesday on Apple TV+.

Presumed Innocent (2024)

“Presumed Innocent” is an eight-episode limited series starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and is based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together. The star-studded ensemble cast of the thriller also includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle and Renate Reinsve.

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal , Ruth Negga , Bill Camp , Elizabeth Marvel , Renate Reinsve , Peter Sarsgaard , O-T Fagbenle , Chase Infiniti , Lily Rabe , Nana Mensah , Matthew Alan , Kingston Rumi Southwick

Release Date

June 14, 2024

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

Apple TV+

Writers

David E. Kelley

Directors

Greg Yaitanes , Anne Sewitsky

Creator(s)

David E. Kelley

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