Prima Facie is a massive disappointment. What could have been a captivating courtroom drama exploring the horrifying reality many sexual assault survivors face within the legal system instead becomes a clichéd and hollow courtroom drama.
Written by Elizabeth Mulloy
I should state that I had not seen the original stage play Prima Facie, written by Australian playwright Suzie Miller, before watching its film adaptation. I knew the basic premise of the play and that it was a one-woman show, but beyond that, I didn’t know much about it. Needless to say, I went into the film relatively blind. Yet while watching the film, despite agreeing with much of what it had to say, I found that its message sadly rang hollow. Now, having watched the original play, I understand why so many fans of the production were deeply disappointed by its film adaptation.
Tessa Ensler (Cynthia Erivo, Wicked) is a brilliant British defence barrister dominating London’s ruthless courtrooms. Fierce, witty, and self-made, she defends men accused of sexual assault until she is assaulted herself by a colleague from a powerful legal dynasty. Suddenly, the system she trusted turns against her. As she faces the same tactics she once used in court, Tessa’s faith in justice unravels. Once in control, now exposed and disbelieved, she must fight to reclaim her voice and sense of self.
Adapting a one-woman show into a feature film is no small feat. The original stage play is framed through Tessa telling the audience her story. She tells us everything that is happening, including her thought process and innermost feelings, dialogue between her and other characters, and even what those characters are doing. On paper, this doesn’t seem like one of the more difficult adaptations to pull off. You simply have actors portray those other characters and show the interactions Tessa describes. However, something is inevitably lost in that translation. The vulnerability, intimacy, and gut punch that made the original stage play so powerful are sadly lost in translation.
By showing the events depicted in the stage play, the film adaptation sadly devolves into a conventional courtroom drama that we have seen countless times before. While we do witness the assault and hear Tessa’s thought process as she tries to make sense of the crime committed against her and figure out how she will prove her case within a system seemingly built against her, the film lacks the intimacy and vulnerability that made the original play so powerful.
This is primarily because everyone behind the camera seems to be running on autopilot. The direction? Overwhelmingly standard. The cinematography? Bland. The editing? Basic. At no point does anyone behind the camera attempt to elevate the material or capture what made the original play so effective in the first place. Instead, the film feels as though it was made with the mindset of a television movie meant to play in the background rather than a theatrical feature that demands the audience’s attention.
The filmmakers attempt to make up for their subpar filmmaking by having Cynthia Erivo, who is brilliant here, look directly into the camera and tell the audience that the legal system needs to change how sexual assault cases are prosecuted and handled in court. Erivo perfectly captures a confident woman whose sense of self-worth is completely shattered after a horrific crime, only to slowly rebuild herself in its aftermath. Unfortunately, even her powerful performance cannot fully compensate for the film’s lack of cinematic ambition.
While it is a message I agree with, that does not excuse the laziness with which it is delivered. Because the film lacks the intimacy and vulnerability of the original play, its message comes across as blunt and almost hostile toward the audience. Rather than encouraging viewers to engage with what it is saying, the film seems to push them away, leaving you thinking, "I agree with you. Why are you yelling at me?" Furthermore, if you are going to loudly argue that a system needs to change, you need to offer some idea of what that change should look like. Without providing a path forward, the film risks turning an important message into little more than a declaration. If you aren’t offering a way to drive meaningful change, then you aren’t really driving meaningful change at all.
Overall, Prima Facie is a massive disappointment. What could have been a captivating courtroom drama exploring the horrifying reality many sexual assault survivors face within the legal system instead becomes a clichéd and hollow courtroom drama because the filmmakers seemingly decided not to push the material any further. That is especially disappointing because the original play is brilliant, and the film wastes the talents of an ensemble cast that, I will say, is excellent throughout and serves as the film’s only real saving grace. What makes the whole thing even more frustrating is that I agree with so much of what this film is trying to say. There is an important story here and a worthwhile message at its core. Unfortunately, the filmmaking does neither justice.
Prima Facie had its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and will screen at the London Film Festival on October 13, before being release in theatres in UK and Ireland on November 13.
Photo: TIFF
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