Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for Presumed Innocent episode 7!
Summary
Presumed Innocentdirector Greg Yaitanes has explained the intense courtroom battle between Rusty and Tommy in episode 7, revealing more details about the scene’s production.Presumed Innocentepisode 7sees Rusty take the stand for the first time, with a mental battle going on between him and Tommy as he leads his own defense while testifying. The scene in question ends up being a high-octane battle of the minds between the pair, with the prosecuting lawyer ultimately coming out on top.
Speaking withVariety, Yaitanes, who directedPresumed Innocentepisode 7, explained the process behind Rusty and Tommy’s intense courtroom battle. The director revealed howmovies like Oliver Stone’sJFKwere important inspirations, and how the presentation works with the performances in the key scenes. Check out what Yaitanes had to say about the pair’s battle below:
The cinematic references I was looking at were “JFK,” because Oliver Stone did such a beautiful job in that 45-minute courtroom scene with Kevin Costner. Throughout these courtroom scenes, the passage of these proceedings can be very tedious. So I wanted to give court this kind of life and energy, and I love the more kinetic editing and the flash cuts away that take us out of the courtroom to either get an interpretation of what we are seeing or actually what happened.
I think destabilizing Rusty was also important. The other references were “Compulsion” by Orson Welles and, of course “The Verdict,” where you had Paul Newman to trust — so not cutting away, and being able to stay with the character. With Peter [Sarsgaard] and Jake [Gyllenhaal], I think my choices were to trust them, and also to not miss the emotional core by trying to get too technical with any kind of move.
I found that Jake works best when there is a single camera to act to, and that is something he really taught me. I saw that when he knows what camera he is acting to, how much his performance can shift gears. So, I was very cautious to use multiple cameras in the courtroom, but not three cameras on him. I would shoot Tommy and Rusty at the same time. I didn’t want to interrupt their eye-line, because the connection of their performances is what matters.
How Presumed Innocent’s Courtroom Battle Will Impact The Season Finale
The fight between Rusty and Tommy in court didn’t go well for the accused, whose violent impulses were pointed out and extrapolated on, giving the prosecution a perfect storm of circumstantial evidence. While this shows howPresumed Innocent’s lead charactersnow have a sharp divide between them, it also provides the jury with the potential outlook they need to convict the protagonist. This is all done through a sharp directorial style that expands upon the scene, turning a testimony into an intense battle of wits. It appears the accused is on the brink of being convicted of Carolyn’s murder.
However, the episode ends with a shocking reveal, asTommy comes home to find someone has left the missing fire poker in his house, alongside a profane note directed at him. Depending on how the weapon is utilized in the case, it could be the object that decides once and for all if Rusty is guilty or not. But, even though new physical evidence has been discovered, the pair’s previous courtroom battle may have swayed the case in the prosecution’s favor. Even if there’s evidence he didn’t do it, Gyllenhaal’s character may still be heading to jail.
When The Presumed Innocent Finale Releases & How Many Episodes There Are
Presumed Innocent is one of the most popular new streaming releases of June 2024 as well as Jake Gyllenhaal’s long-awaited television debut.
Whatever happens, it’s clear fromPresumed Innocentseason 2following a new case that Rusty’s trial will have a definitive ending in the season finale. Although there’s still no clarity as to whether he killed Carolyn or not,his previous battle with Tommy might be the biggest detriment to his case going forward.Since there’s still one episode left, the show appears to be saving its biggest surprises for the end, no doubt offering a wild conclusion that will bring the series' tension to an end.
Presumed Innocent
Cast
An eight-episode limited series 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.
