Key Takeaways

• Rusty finds himself on trial for Carolyn’s brutal killing after their secret affair is uncovered.
• His playful flirtation with Carolyn spoke to deeper desires he couldn’t confront, making their relationship all the more tragic.
• Gyllenhaal and Reinsve’s visible chemistry makes their forbidden romance disturbingly accurate.

The new Apple TV+ legal thriller “Presumed Innocnet” puts a modern spin on Scott Turow’s classic 1987 novel.

At the center of the drama is the tumultuous relationship between Chicago’s chief deputy prosecutor, Rusty Sabich, played by Jake Gyllenhall, and his murdered colleague and former lover, Carolyn Polhemus, portrayed by Renate Reinsve.

In the eight-part series from David E. Kelly, Rusty finds himself on trial for Carolyn’s brutal killing after their secret affair is uncovered.

Gyllenhall masterfully captures Rusty’s desperation as his once-tidy life unravels, thanks to his reckless affair with the ambitious Carolyn.

Reinsve instills Carolyn with a captivating mix of allure and cunning.

While only seen in flashbacks after her death, Carolyn emerges as a complex seductress who uses her sexuality for career advancement before discarding Rusty once she has gotten what she wants from him.

Their sizzling fling was purely physical for Carolyn, but it represented an escape from his strained home life and existential emptiness for the married Rusty.

His playful flirtation with Carolyn spoke to deeper desires he couldn’t confront, making their relationship all the more tragic.

As the investigation into Carolyn’s homicide intensifies, it becomes clear Rusty is the prime suspect due to a series of incriminating clues.

But did his self-destruction stemming from the affair lead him actually to commit murder?

Gyllenhaal and Reinsve’s visible chemistry makes their forbidden romance disturbingly accurate and keeps viewers guessing if betrayal couldn’t bear such violence.

Their entanglement reveals why people stray and the exact price of their affairs.

While Carolyn only appears briefly, Reinsve’s hypnotic screen presence looms large, making her an unforgettable mystery figure.

Gyllenhall’s refined performance ensures that you can never quite decide if Rusty is a cad, victim, or stone-cold killer when it comes to Carolyn.

“Presumed Innocent” is at its most gripping, delving into the dark depths of what can drive people to betrayal.

In Case You Didn’t Know

• Jake Gyllenhaal has been in a romantic relationship with French model Jeanne Cadieu since 2018.
• Gyllenhaal and his girlfriend Cadieu have an age gap of 16 years.
• Renate Reinsve is an award-winning actress with the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress under her belt.