Absence of Malice

Impeccably liberal in its orientation to 'issues' - the power and responsibilities of the press, the impact of misinformation - this avoids the excesses of Stanley Kramer-like telegraphy, only to come up looking aesthetically wet. It's not just a reliance on star casting to sugar the pill as reporter Field picks up a malicious crime squad 'leak' and smears innocent Newman. Sheer worthy dullness comes closer to describing the problem. For all the smokescreen convolutions of legalistic conspiracy and juxtapositions of ethics, 'professionalism', public interest and private morality, we're basically presented with two attractive victims on the same hook who will inevitably spar their way past one of democracy's little hiccups.