Prima Facie Review: Cynthia Erivo Delivers Powerful Rallying Call In Solid Legal Drama [TIFF]

Prima Facie is a powerful, yet flawed legal drama elevated by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo’s devastating performance and a forceful call for change.

Cognitive dissonance refers to the mental distress or tension one feels when their behaviors do not match their values or beliefs. For instance, a man who perceives himself as dedicated to his family, yet engages in extramarital affairs likely experiences dissonance between his behaviors and self-conception. The same applies for an attorney who champions women’s rights, yet defends those accused of sexual assault in court. The latter example is the focus of Susanna White’s Prima Facie, a rousing cinematic call to action for lawmakers to finally change laws, court proceedings, evidence gathering, and general public perceptions of rape and sexual assault.

Making its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Prima Facie stars Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo as Tessa, a barrister who frequently defends men accused of sexual assault and rape in the British court system. When Tessa unexpectedly becomes a victim of such a crime, she finds herself on the other side of the legal system, a reversal that fosters insights about the inadequacies of the justice system.

Prima Facie Squanders Its Greatest Chance At Doing Something Different

Adapted from the one-woman stage play by Suzie Miller, Prima Facie mirrors legal thrillers like Presumed Innocent and Fracture in depicting an ambitious attorney forced onto the other side of the aisle than the one they usually occupy. White’s film flips those Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling-led movies on their head by centering her story around an attorney who operates within the legal system and gives every one of her clients the best possible representation, regardless of what they are accused of – only to then experience the most jarring of role reversals.

After being sexually assaulted by a close colleague, Erivo’s Tessa becomes the victim of a horrific event that would elicit cognitive dissonance, at least on paper. Interestingly, White’s film proves disappointingly restrained in this regard. Rather than focus on the guilt, shame, and inner reflection that turning from ruthless barrister to victim of sexual violence would seemingly foster, the film narrows its concentration to primarily detail the raw shock and dissociation such an act brings forth.

The failure to capitalize on this unique narrative point means Prima Facie misses its greatest opportunity to say or do something different within the confines of a legal thriller commenting on sexual violence. That is not to say that such an oversight renders White’s film flat or unaffecting, but it does leave one with the impression that rich material worthy of exploration has been left on the table.

Cynthia Erivo's Strong Performance Makes It Easier To Overlook Prima Facie's Poor Pacing & Heavy-Handedness

Missed opportunities aside, Prima Facie evolves into a powerful and devastating watch after finally getting to its story’s instigating incident. It is clear within the first few minutes where the story is heading, even for those who have not read the film's logline prior to watching, but White draws things out excessively before arriving at this critical event. It is important for the audience to develop an understanding of Tessa as an ambitious, intelligent lawyer exceedingly capable of dismantling her opposition’s arguments, as this makes her sudden descent into mental disarray all the more compelling. However, the protracted set-up makes the first half rather repetitive.

Things kick into gear for the audience, and crumble for Tessa, as the latter is sexually assaulted by a respected colleague around the film’s halfway mark. While Erivo plays the outward confidence and inner awareness that her socioeconomic and racial background is at odds with her position as a prestigious barrister with assurance and presence, her performance takes on newfound dimensionality as she grapples with the aftermath of being raped.

The screenplay doesn’t approach the mental health fallout of sexual violence with much nuance, instead opting for a rather heavy-handed approach in depicting ways people grapple with acute trauma, but it is no exaggeration to say that Erivo fully embodies the heartbreak and complete destruction of self her character undergoes. After the TIFF world premiere, she received a standing ovation for her performance, and rightfully so. To the surprise of no one remotely familiar with her work, she is excellent here.

Engrossing Courtroom Drama Saves Prima Facie

The ensuing courtroom drama sees the very tricks and skills Tessa used to win cases turned against her. Although the back-and-forth between her and the prosecuting attorney is biting, intense, and tightly written, it’s in a monologue near the end of the film that really sells everything Prima Facie is going for. As a legal drama, the movie is solid; as a cinematic rallying cry to radically reinvent norms, laws, and comprehension of sexual violence, it is exceptionally effective.

When the credits roll, one is left with a juxtaposing sense of devastation and hope. The way in which women’s truths are doubted, and how misguided it is to try and subject the traumatized, dissociated brain to rigorous scientific inquiry in legal proceedings, leave one contemplating the depravity of the world, the moral lows people will stoop to, and whether things will ever look different one day.

However, before the film ends, White leaves things on a more optimistic note, suggesting that, regardless of how grim the world’s approach to sexual violence and women’s rights currently is, there are people actively trying to make a difference. By making a film that, despite its issues with pacing and a glaring lost opportunity, shines a much-needed spotlight on systematic changes societies and legal systems desperately need to make, White and Erivo are two of those people.

Prima Facie premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.

Prima Facie

6/10

Release Date November 13, 2026

Runtime 106 minutes

Director Susanna White

Writers Suzie Miller

Producers David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, Jenny Cooney, Kevin Loader

Cast

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  Cynthia Erivo

  Tessa Ensler