Does Jake Gyllenhaal's Presumed Innocent follow the same story as the 1990 movie? Details explored

Modified Jun 10, 2024 17:44 GMT

A still from Presumed Innocent (Image via Apple TV)

Apple TV is bringing us a new crime procedural mini-series, Presumed Innocent, starring Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role as Chicago’s chief deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich. The story is based on Scott Turow’s 1987 novel of the same name and is also a remake of the 1990 Harrison Ford movie adapted from the same book. The series follows the story of Rusty, who is on trial for the gruesome murder of his colleague and lover, Carolyn Polhemus.

Coming from David E. Kelley, the crime drama follows the story of a family man, a loving father, and a husband, who is spending quality time with his wife Barbara and their children around the pool, when he learns that the body of his colleague, Carolyn Polhemus has been found in a gruesome condition. It is revealed that Sabich had been having an affair with her for some time and he is now the prime suspect in the murder trial.

Is Presumed Innocent a remake of the 1990 movie?

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Yes, Presumed Innocent is a remake of the 1990 movie starring Harrison Ford of the same name. However, while the core plot line remains the same, the upcoming version has added some considerable changes to how the portrayal is done.

Apple TV's Presumed Innocent is not riddled with the blatant sexism that weighed the 1990 film down. Instead, it brings a fresh perspective in which female characters like Carolyn, Rusty’s wife Barbara, and the lead investigator in the case, Detective Alana Rodriguez, are shown as dynamic and well-rounded characters with a voice, and all of them are reeling from Sabich’s questionable choices.

While Harrison Ford’s Rusty was a stoic man, Gyllenhaal portrayal of the character is much different. He plays a desperate man trying to come to terms with his damaging decisions that affect the image he had painstakingly created.

How many episodes is Presumed Innocent?

The Apple TV crime drama is an eight-episode mini-series that will be available to stream exclusively on Apple's streaming platform. The first two episodes will be released on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. New episodes will be released subsequently every Wednesday, until July 24, 2024.

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Who was in the cast of Presumed Innocent (1990)?

Here is the full cast list of the 1990 version of the upcoming Apple series:

Harrison Ford as Rozat K. "Rusty" Sabich
Brian Dennehy as Raymond Horgan
Raul Julia as Alejandro "Sandy" Stern
Bonnie Bedelia as Barbara Sabich
Paul Winfield as Judge Larren L. Lyttle
Greta Scacchi as Carolyn Polhemus
John Spencer as Detective Dan Lipranzer
Joe Grifasi as Tommy Molto
Tom Mardirosian as Nico Della Guardia
Anna Maria Horsford as Eugenia
Sab Shimono as Dr. "Painless" Kumagai
Bradley Whitford as Quentin "Jamie" Kemp
Christine Estabrook as Lydia "Mac" MacDougall
Michael Tolan as Mr. Polhemus
Jesse Bradford as Nat Sabich
Joseph Mazzello as Wendell McGaffen
Tucker Smallwood as Detective Harold Greer
David Wohl as Morrie Dickerman
Jeffrey Wright as Prosecuting Attorney

About the 2024 Apple TV adaptation of Presumed Innocent

The Apple TV synopsis for the series reads as follows:

"Starring [Jake] 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."

Presumed Innocent 2024 stars Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role of top deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich. He is joined by Ruth Negga as Barbara Sabich and Elizabeth Marvel as Lorraine Horgan. Renate Reinsve joins the cast as Carolyn Polhemus, Matthew Alan as Dalton Caldwell, and Lily Rabe as Dr Liz Rush. Other supporting actors include: