Directed by Susanna White and written by Suzie Miller, Prima Facie is an adaptation of Miller’s award-winning stage play. The biggest change from stage to screen is the move from a one-woman show into a film with a full ensemble of characters and a wider range of locations, instead of the minimalist stage production, turning it into a familiar courtroom drama.
Cynthia Erivo plays Tessa Ensler, a criminal defense barrister who is reportedly assigned rape cases because of the perceived advantage of having female barristers defend men accused of rape. Tessa appears comfortable with this, showing little hesitation or questioning of her decision to build her career around defending these men. The premise of this is immediately curious: a woman who has spent her career defending men accused of rape, suddenly becomes a victim of rape and is made to stand in court from the other side. Yet, when this happens, the screenplay does little to explore the contradictions this creates within her character. There is little reflection on her previous beliefs about the justice system, or how her professional experience might shape her understanding of what has happened to her. Instead, her motivation becomes almost entirely rooted in the simple fact that she has now experienced sexual violence herself.
This is particularly frustrating because there is so much the film could have explored. In the first act, a woman accusing one of Tessa’s clients of sexual assault expresses a sentiment that Tessa eventually echoes in the third act, but this almost feels unearned. The parallel could have been a powerful way to explore how Tessa’s perspective changes, but the film does little to develop the connection between these two moments, beyond the fact that Tessa has now, unfortunately, become a victim herself. As a result, her transformation feels less like a gradual reckoning with her previous beliefs and more like a sudden realization forced onto her by personal experience. Aside from wanting justice for herself, there are no real strides shown when we see the new version of Tessa that walks out of that courtroom after the verdict is given.
Many of the limitations Prima Facie faces could be pointed to the time jump of 1,107 days. While this depicts the long duration it takes to try and seek justice, the time jump means jumping past the emotional journey that gets Tessa to this point. Given how much of the film depends on her transformation, this missing development really affects not only our emotional connection to Tessa but also a natural character progression. This does not necessarily mean Tessa needed to express regret for every man she had blindly defended, without first considering whether he had committed the crime. Rather, the film needed to do more with the idea that there is no such thing as a perfect victim. Tessa’s own professional experience could have offered an interesting perspective on this, but the screenplay never fully explores it.
The first half of the film is weak, tonally messy, and difficult to engage with as none of Tessa’s colleagues are interesting. Once the assault happens, however, the film begins to find its footing, following Tessa as she navigates the aftermath and attempts to seek justice through the same system she once trusted. From this point onwards, the film becomes stronger and more confident in what it is trying to say. The last half an hour is very strong, and this is when the film comes closest to fully realizing its potential, as Tessa begins to recognize the limitations of the system she once defended so wholeheartedly. There is a sense that she is finally confronting not only the injustice she has experienced but also the assumptions she previously held which is all powerfully expressed in Erivo’s monologue. Cynthia is great, really great even. Despite being given limited material to play with, she commits to bringing both intensity and conviction to Tessa. Cynthia delivers a powerful third-act monologue interrogating the British legal system’s handling of sexual assault cases.
Tessa is someone who has consistently advocated for the legal system, believing in its ability to deliver justice and in the importance of following the rules. As the story progresses, these beliefs begin to unravel, forcing her to question what is fair and what is just. By the end, the film interrogates whether the justice system can adequately support survivors of sexual violence.
What Prima Facie does well is touch on the lack of representation within the legal system, particularly the dominance of men and white individuals in juries. However, the screenplay completely skips over the intersection of Tessa’s race and gender. The original stage production was led by a white woman, whereas this adaptation centers a Black woman. This change brings an additional element to Tessa’s experience, creating an opportunity to examine how race and gender intersect within the justice system. Yet, the film does not explore these implications. It feels as though the story has been transferred from stage to screen without sufficiently considering what Cynthia Erivo’s casting could bring to the character and the wider narrative.
The film is more successful in its exploration of the social and economic implications of these cases, particularly when a working-class woman has to fight for justice against a wealthy man with family connections and power. This is both introduced and then rounded out effectively in the final act. Tessa’s relationship with her family is also a highlight, feeling genuine and offering something meaningful to watch after the rocky moments between her mother and brother at the beginning of the film.
The choice of voice-over narration, however, is one of the film’s weakest elements. It often feels tonally wrong. Instead of allowing the audience to understand Tessa through her actions, expressions and interactions, the film frequently tells us what she is thinking and feeling. For a story that depends so heavily on the audience understanding Tessa’s changing relationship with the law, the narration does little to help achieve this, and so it feels pointless. It often feels as though the film uses the narration for gags and quick moments of explanation.
Prima Facie has an important story to tell, and its examination of the barriers survivors face within the justice system remains both important and compelling. Overall, Prima Facie is at its strongest when it confronts the shortcomings of the legal system and questions whether the pursuit of justice is truly equal for everyone. The promise of a fair trial does not necessarily translate into a fair experience for the person seeking justice. However, the screenplay’s failure to fully explore the complexities of Tessa’s character prevents the film from reaching its full potential. Erivo gives a committed performance, but even she cannot entirely make up for a story that leaves so much unexplored.
