Absence of Malice (1981)

The ethics of the press are roundly slapped around in an entertaining if not always believable drama from director Sydney Pollack. Sally Field is the Miami reporter who is set up to leak information on a dead-end murder investigation. A sneaky government official (a marvelous, rubber-band-spinning Bob Balaban) provides the information that implies liquor distributor Paul Newman is under investigation. When the story runs, it uncorks a legal quagmire that puts the spotlight on presumably innocent lives. As the lawyers explain, the paper's story is accurate, even though it may be untrue. The details of the story are sharply drawn by first-time screenwriter and former reporter Kurt Luedtke (who later went on to win an Oscar scripting Pollack's Out of Africa); the film could be used in a Media Ethics 101 class. Newman secretly counterattacks in a clever plot to derail the process that quickly encompasses his jittery friend (Oscar nominee Melinda Dillon). Field's continuing ethical gaps--including falling in love with her subject--stretch the film's credibility. Then again, who wouldn't fall for Paul Newman in the Florida sun? --Doug Thomas Amazon.com essential video

One of the most important movies ever made...

I can't improve on the first sentence from W.Corse's excellent 2/3/05 review:

"Absence of Malice is one of my all-time favorites, and the first "older" movie that I grabbed when it was finally released on DVD. In my opinion this is one film that should be required viewing for every journalism major in the USA. "

Some of other reviewers' comments make my eyes cross.
(1) The movie is "slow"? (Not if you're paying attention to Paul Newman's brick-by-brick implementation of an utterly brilliant revenge.)
(2) Sally Fields doesn't look too good? (I think she looks better in this film than she's ever looked.)
(3) The "attraction" between Newman/Field is silly/implausible/the film's weak spot? (I disagree. The scenes with these two are some of the best written/best acted you'll ever see: the uneasy tentativeness, attraction sparring with distrust. Is Newman using Fields? Fields using Newman? Both? Neither? I'm still not sure.)

One reviewer called it the ultimate "get even" story, and--along w/The Shawshank Redemption- it is just that. The scenes of the final hearing, Wilfred Brimley presiding, belong on the short list of Great Movie Denouements.

The media pretty much ignored it when it came out (go figure :o). It was a little before its time, but it will outlast them all. June 30, 2008

Plenty of malice

I enjoyed this movie immensely. It points up the contrast between human beings as they are and as they are portrayed in newspapers when they become newsworthy. Great performances by Newman and Field. May 11, 2008

Thoughtful riposte to "investigative journalists"

Paul Newman is cast as a businessman whose only links to organised crime are tenuous at best -via an uncle (Luther Adler -excellent as ever)-but because he is the son of a long dead mobster ,is believed by a hotheaded Federal prosecutor (Bob Balaban)to possibly be able to help them crack an ongoing investigation that has stalled .This investigation revolves around the disappearance of a prominent mobster in Miami where the action takes place .

Seeing an opportunity and untramelled by such niceites as ethics he leaks the news of Gallagher's possible "complicity"to an ambitious journalist ,Megan (Sally Field).She swallows the bait and writes a story full of iron clad innuendo implicating Gallagher ,a tale splashed all across the front pages .The story comes close to destroying his life and tragedy follows in its wake.With a contrite Megan as ally -she and Gallagher having become romantically involved-he decides to strike back at the people who have so cavalierly treated him and his family .

The work raises key questions of media responsibility ,and sadly ,fudges them at key points but the movie is still poilished ,literate entertainment which would work well on a double bill with All The President's Men as it is a counterpart to that movie in some ways While the Bernstein/Woodward movie amounted to a hagiographic portrait of journalists this tends towards a more jaundiced viewpoint and is for my money the more interesting piece as a result

Performances are uniformly excellent with Balaban especially outstanding .This repays watching if only for the way it asks us to look at issues of media ethics and mores .It sharply portrays the downside to irresponsible investigative reporting and corrects the glib Hollywood l notion that journalists are heroes-sometimes ,sure ,but they can do a lot of harm and this movie entertainingly ecposes this aspect to the fourth estate. November 5, 2007

Great movie with silly love story.

How unbelievable is it that Paul and Sally would end up in bed after Newman's friend, (played by Melinda Dillon), commits suicide because of the news story Sally's character writes. The dialog between Gallagher, (Newman), and Carter, (Field), is pointed, dynamic and, frankly, brilliant, but it shouldn't be happening in the bedroom. It doesn't make any sense. The quirky Elliot Rosen, (played brilliantly by Bob Balaban) is the engine driving this bus off a cliff. To Wit:

FBI Agent Eddie Frost (Arnie Ross): What the hell's going on?

Elliott Rosen (Balaban): Good question. You oughta join the FBI. I don't know either.

Frost: It doesn't make any sense.

Rosen: Got any ideas?

Frost: Sure, early retirement.

Rosen: I got a couple. I want 24 hour surveillance on Gallagher, not close. And I want taps on three phones; Gallagher's warehouse, Gallagher @ home..., Quinn's house.

Frost: Wait a minute. Where are we going to find a judge who'll let us tap Quinn?

Rosen: I'm not gonna ask a judge.

Frost: It's no good in court.

Rosen: I'm not in court. Not yet.

Frost: You really think Gallagher bought him.

Rosen: I don't know. You think he's for sale?

During the entire conversation Rosen is animatedly chewing gum and spinning a rubber band between his hands. What a performance.

Of course the curtain finally comes down when Asst. U.S. Attorney General James A. Wells (portrayed masterfully by Wilford Brimley) hits town with a U.S. Marshall and a stenographer in tow and puts an end to the whole charade and Elliot Rosen's career. If you haven't seen this film or haven't seen it in a while, see it now. August 6, 2007

An accurate portrayal of journalism

When this movie came out, I was a reporter at a daily newspaper. I went to "Absence of Malice" fully prepared to hate it. Instead, I came away thinking that it was an accurate and believable portrayal of what happens in a newsroom. To this day, I am bothered that journalists too often fail to understand the impact their words have on people's lives. Most journalists I've known prefer to insulate themselves from the public and never hear about the negative effects of the stories they write. I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in how reporters and editors operate. June 21, 2007

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