Presumed Innocent Finale

The ending was surely shocking, which seems to be the consensus of the audience when it concerns Presumed Innocent. Twisting both the original book ending and the movie ending, there are things that seem relevant and tasteful on a rewatch, but the ultimate reveal of the murderer also leaves some more to be desired.

Before we get to the big reveal though, we have to get to the end of the trial. Rusty is convinced that he is his own best chance in defending himself, so he gives his final statement. It’s not bad, and it puts Jake Gyllenhaal in this charismatic role on full display. The moments where he chokes up about his family and asserts that the jury should look at him and give him contempt, that he deserves that contempt, but not that he is guilty of killing Carolyn is effective. The rest of it does seem desperate, and a little clunky, in a way that Tommy Molto absolutely eviscerates him. If there is to be a season two that continues with some of the characters, getting Saarsgard back would surely be their best bet at entertainment because he absolutely kills it at this role. At the end of his statement Molto says, that’s fine take a good look at me, now take a good look at him. Absolute chills in his performance.

But it doesn’t seem to matter how incredible Tommy was at shredding this man to pieces on the witness stand, there is enough doubt, and Rusty is ‘presumed innocent.’ Everyone takes a beat to breathe. Rusty goes home with his family and gets to relax, Tommy confronts the absolute grief of letting this man walk when he truly believes he is the murderer. These two have been very exciting to watch this season and will continue to be on a rewatch.

And then as everyone settles, Rusty and Barbara have a moment together in their shed and he reveals, he knows it was her. He had come back again that night, found Carolyn dead, and instead of calling the police he tied her body up to look like the case they worked together, because he knew in his bones that Barbara had done it. Suddenly a lot of the series now makes sense from Gyllenhaal’s perspective. His wild scene where he assaulted his wife a couple episodes ago makes sense. The way he has been so passionate about connecting it to another crime makes sense. His absolute neuroticism as he imagines how it happened and what could have been makes a lot of sense. This is a man who was desperately trying to get the guilt off not only himself, but his wife. Barbara is stunned and confused, that is, until their daughter Jaden enters the scene and reveals no, it was actually her.

It's certainly shocking. I think most people put the kids away from their thoughts when considering this case. It just doesn’t make as much narrative sense as one of these adults being involved in it. Apparently, Jaden is great at cleaning up because she cleaned the car, and somehow hid the poker in a spot that was easy enough to access again to leave at Tommy’s house, but not in a way anybody else would find. The shock value of this reveal wares off for me though and leaves me dissatisfied. Narratively, we don’t honestly know enough about his daughter to make this reveal matter. We know that Rusty loves his kids and seems to have pretty good relationships with them despite all of this; and maybe that’s where it hurts the most, not in the fact that this kid committed murder, but that Rusty and Barabara now have to cover for the rest of their livesfor their child that is a dissociative murderer. But there’s not many clues or indications in the narrative, or enough about her character to make this an ending that makes you go, “Oh, that’s good. She would totally be the killer.” And I hate to review on what something should have been. But the lead up that somehow it was both Barbara AND Rusty who were involved in the murder this time seemed far more compelling than the sudden twist that it’s the daughter.

Rewatchability now might enhance Rusty’s perspective but seems to hurt Barbara. What was even the point of the friendly neighborhood bartender affair Clifton now? The reveal makes the series messier than it should be. However, this was a show with incredible performances, a very fun setup, and slightly satisfying pay off. Apple has renewed the show for another season, and I’m hoping we leave the Sabich family exactly where they are, and go on to follow some new and exciting case with some more stellar performances. I’m curious to see where this goes next.