Customer Reviews

Jagged Edge (Widescreen/Full Screen)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I won't say Jagged Edge isn't good or entertaining because it is a very good film. The problem starts with loopholes within a terribly predictable plot. By the middle of the film, even the smart defense tactics of Teddy Barnes ( Glenn Close ) can't help the film's demise. There was no question that Jack Forrester ( Jeff Bridges ) committed the murders. The problem is the director can't keep this a secret for very long.

There is no difference between this and a million other courtroom dramas. You have the smart, fiesty female lawyer who swears to everyone she won't fall for the charms of the handsome rich defendent but, of course she falls for his charms and into his bed. From that point Teddy Barnes lost all credibility of claiming she's a smart lawyer. The plot doesn't stay true to the characters. Teddy's a smart woman yet she plays the dumb victim at every turn. She misses signs anyone in their first year of law school should spot. Jack is painted as suave and brilliant yet he leaves the typewriter ( the item that brings it all together ) in his closet for Teddy to find. Jagged Edge has a lot of supposedly smart folks doing dumb things and it makes no sense. The film started out as an intelligent thriller but switched to a cheap serial killer flick with a tacky and very stupid ending.

On the flipside, this is a very good movie IF you watch it for entertainment only. If you watch it for knowledge or to see a good thriller you are wasting your time. The plot can be figured out by a five year-old in ten minutes and this film is NOTHING unique. Close's and Bridges' chemistry keeps you interested no matter how shabby the film ends up. But the true winners are Robert Loggia and Peter Coyote who steal the show easily with their vibrant, exciting performances. Loggia brought some comedy relief to the drabby scenes and Coyote sparked things up when Close got boring. Jeff Bridges appeared quite dry and I didn't buy him as someone with the brains of masterminding a so-called great plan. Glenn Close played Teddy the way she should have been played. The problem is the character was written with too much heart and not enough brain. That's not too good for a lead character that everyone keeps claiming is such a great lawyer. I would definitely recommend this but beware...disappointments await just around the corner. Since Jagged Edge was made there have been hundreds of films of this nature. I would recommend 1993's Guilty As Sin as one that should be top on your list.

Jagged Edge is a notable thriller, and while it will more than hold your interest, some elements of the story are a bit problematic

When a San Francisco socialite is brutally attacked and murdered, her publisher-husband, Jack Forrester (Jeff Bridges), is accused of the crime. Teddy Barnes (Glenn Close) decides to defend the charming, manipulative Jack, only to disregard legal ethics by having a torrid affair with him. With the help of private eye Sam Ransom (Robert Loggia), she takes on ruthless D.A. Thomas Krasney (Peter Coyote) who's using the case as a political stepping-stone and will do anything it takes to win a conviction.

Rather infamous screenwriter Joe Eszterhas certainly knows the highs and lows of a lopsided career. He has gone from writing gems like Basic Insinct, to the mediocre at best...Sliver, to total trash that is Showgirls. I would put this particular story somewhere between Basic Instict (not as good) and Showgirls (not as bad) The way that Jack and Teddy get together seems a bit forced in my opinion. The ambiguity of Forrester's guilt or innocence throughout isn't as effective here and is foreshadowed too early for my tastes. Close gives a strong performance as Teddy, a woman torn between her judicial duties, and her attraction for her client. The forbidden affair component probably prepared her for her turn later on in Fatal Attraction. For his part, Bridges is Ok, but doesn't have the needed range to handle the duality of his character on a consistant level throughout the movie...The late Richard Marquand proves that you can direct a mega sci-fi epic, like Return Of The Jedi, and then take on a thriller like this. Clearly, he was going for a film that oozes the Hitchcock style, as a homage and not a mere rip off. Most of the film works--save for a few missteps and hiccups that I mentioned.

The DVD doesn't have much on it, in the way of bonus material, save for a few production notes and the seemingly standard theatrical trailer. You can choose to watch the movie in either the full-screen, or, widescreen formats.

Despite a few of my "issues", with Jagged Edge, I still recommend it.

I come back to this film quite a bit - it's a great way to pass a quiet afternoon or a sick day from work. Part of its appeal, I think, is the viewer's familiarity with the suspense/sourtroom drama genre. We know how these films go, and this one has all the elements: a handful of suspects, a conflicted defense attorney, a victim with a complicated past, and a likeable defendant on trial. The writing, acting and directing make these familiar materials into a particularly enjoyable film though, through their attention to detail and craft.

If you enjoy watching real pros work their changes on a familiar
convention, you'll enjoy this entertaining suspense flick.

I just knew he was going to come thru that back door. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. But I still screamed when he finally did. Jagged Edge is a twisted tale of a lawyer (Glenn Close) who defends a publisher accused of murder - and in the process she ends up falling in love with him. Played by Jeff Bridges, the publisher is, shall we say, duplicitous and perhaps not entirely to be trusted - or believed. It's when Close begins to doubt her own defense tactics that things get scary. I won't say more, because if you haven't seen Jagged Edge yet, I wouldn't want to spoil it.
But trust me: you'll scream.

"JAGGED EDGE" begins on a stormy night at a beach home. A killer walks through the halls with a jagged hunting knife in his hands. After he has killed a rich woman and her maid, and written the "B" word on the wall with her blood, Jack Forrester, the victim's husband, is arrested. Glenn Close plays his lawyer who falls in love with him. The two have a forbidden affair. Did he do it? Or didn't he? There's plenty of evidence on both sides. Is Glenn Close's character defending him because she honestly believes in her mind he is innocent, or is "another part of her anatomy" doing the thinking? Suspense and mystery are so well done in this film, and it is never boring. What an exquisite movie, with marvelous performances from Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges. The beginning is very eerie and frightening, but it would have been even more frightening had it not been on a "mysterious stormy night" like most thrillers, and it was just a nice, serene night, and suddenly he comes in and kills her. Still, it was very well done. The ending could have included more detail, but really, I loved the movie so much, I don't care. WHAT A MYSTERY! WHAT TWISTS! WHAT A THRILLING RIDE! FOR FANS OF MYSTERY AND COURTROOM DRAMA I DEFINELY RECOMMEND THIS SPECTACULAR FILM!!! P.S. The music perfectly fit the moods of the movie too.

"Jagged Edge' is a highly watchable film. The plot centers on a wealthy (and handsome) San Francisco publisher (Jeff Bridges) who is accused of murdering his wife. He is defended by a beautiful, divorced and principled lawyer (Glenn Close). In her earlier career, Close's character had been a public prosecutor and has bad blood with the DA prosecuting her current client.

Bridges and Close become involved-which is of course highly unethical-during the pretrial research phase. Most of the movie then takes place in court as the mighty Close battles for her client despite a number of twists and turns. The ending and the ultimate twist to that ending come as no huge surprise. However, it is fun watching them get to that point. Plus, you get lots of beautiful San Francisco and Bay ARea scenery.
I would recommend this movie to those who enjoy courtroom dramas, Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges films of the 80's (the film is not overly dated but clearly of that era), and mysteries. There are certainly better examples of the courtroom and mystery genres in film-but this one is still enjoyable and worth watching.

This movie is pure Eszterhas, a combination of salacious sex and violence without being overly gory. Most of the violence is suggested, and the main of the movie is a tight legal drama. Glenn Close plays a divorced attorney who gave up criminal cases but ends up defending a wealthy client (played by Jeff Bridges) who is accused of murdering his wife. The characters are not always believable, but that's part of the fun. Watching this movie had me changing my mind every ten minutes as to whether he did it or not, not really finding out the answer until the final minutes of the film. This movie really built suspense. Some might call it unbelievable, but what does that matter when the movie is so entertaining and keeping you guessing until the very end.

A ponderous murder mystery-thriller that plays better than it normally would thanks to solid star turns by an impeccable cast. Jeff Bridges (always an economical and subtle actor) is perfect as the cryptic suspect; and Glenn Close strikes a delicate balance between intellectual aloofness and romantic vulnerability as the defense lawyer who becomes too involved with her client. Nice work also by Peter Coyote as the prosecution, Leigh Taylor-Young as a vengeful woman spurned, and (especially) Robert Loggia as a foul-mouthed, hard-living evidence investigator. The combined intensity of these gifted actors almost camouflages the plot manipulations that plague the script's credibility from beginning to end ... almost.

The digitally mastered DVD transfer is more than acceptable, providing sharp anamorphic visuals and crystal clear sound. The disc provides both letterboxed and pan-and-scan presentations, and includes thumbnail biographical sketches of the director (Richard Marquand), Bridges, and Close. Four theatrical trailers ("Against All Odds", "Arlington Road", "The Natural", "Air Force One") are used to plug other Columbia Tristar videos, but unfortunately the trailer for "Jagged Edge" is not on the menu. Recommended for fans of Bridges and Close, or those interested in the career of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas; other viewers, specifically devotees of tightly plotted mysteries, may find the film less engaging.

This movie had a great cast, and I go for the genre in a big way, but it disappointed me. Perhaps if I had expected less from the cast I would have liked it more. The plot is laughable and unmotivated, and there are continuity errors that I found quite distracting. It is a good looking movie, though.

This move stars Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close.In the movie,Bridges is accused of a murder.I wont into details. This movie is from the writer of "Showgirls" and "Sliver".It is rated R for some violence and swearing! This movie would be a perfect movie to watch the Harrison Ford movie made in 1990! Also co-starring in this movie is Robert Loggia(ID4) and Peter Coyote(Sphere,E.T)! It's a about a hour and half so it's does not take forever to reach the end! If you are in the mood for great courtroom drama ,check out Jagged Edge!