Physical Evidence
If he's innocent, the truth could save him. If he's guilty, the lies could kill her.
1989 | 99m | English
Popularity: 1 (history)
| Director: | Michael Crichton |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Bill Phillips, Steve Ransohoff |
| Staring: |
| A police officer suspended and now accused of murder is forced to join forces with his court-appointed attorney to assemble the pieces of a deadly puzzle to find the missing link before time runs out. | |
| Release Date: | Jan 27, 1989 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Michael Crichton |
| Writer: | Bill Phillips, Steve Ransohoff |
| Genres: | Crime, Thriller |
| Keywords | police, puzzle, murder, romance, lawyer, courtroom drama |
| Production Companies | Columbia Pictures |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $3,560,932
Budget: $17,000,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Jan 28, 2026 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Burt Reynolds | Joe Paris |
| Theresa Russell | Jennifer "Jenny" Hudson |
| Ned Beatty | James Nicks |
| Kay Lenz | Deborah Quinn |
| Ted McGinley | Kyle |
| Tom O'Brien | Matthew "Matt" Farley |
| Kenneth Welsh | Harry Norton |
| Ray Baker | Strickler |
| Louis Negin | Jacob "Jake" Farley |
| Paul Hubbard | Burt Knight |
| Peter MacNeill | Brannigan |
| Barry Flatman | Brody |
| Malcolm Stewart | Ames |
| Kathy Michael McGlynn | Gladys |
| Don Granbery | Vincent Quinn |
| Angelo Rizacos | Tony Sklar |
| J. Winston Carroll | Samson |
| Lamar Jackson | Delmar Fraser |
| Larry Reynolds | Trial Judge |
| Laurie Paton | Mabel |
| Richard Fitzpatrick | Kravitz |
| Djanet Sears | Sheila |
| Claire Cellucci | Tanya |
| Anthony Sherwood | Lou |
| Angie McNab | Amy Farley |
| Laurie Holden | Matt's Girl |
| David Clement | Warden Debilis |
| Eddie Driscoll | Jenny's Assistant |
| David Ferry | 1st Cop |
| Michael Copeman | Potential Juror |
| Diane Douglass | Woman Juror (as Diane Douglas) |
| Jennifer Inch | Waitress |
| Louis Negin | Jake Farley |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Bill Phillips | Story, Screenplay |
| Glenn Farr | Editor |
| Dan Yarhi | Production Design |
| Dennis Davenport | Art Direction |
| Jacques M. Bradette | Set Decoration |
| Betsy Cox | Costume Design |
| Steve Ransohoff | Story |
| John Stoneham Jr. | Stunts |
| Stan Barrett | Stunt Coordinator |
| Michael Crichton | Director |
| Henry Mancini | Original Music Composer |
| John A. Alonzo | Director of Photography |
| Lynn Stalmaster | Casting |
| Steve Lucescu | Utility Stunts |
| Shelley Cook | Stunt Double |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Don Carmody | Executive Producer |
| Martin Ransohoff | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 4 |
| 2024 | 5 | 12 | 22 | 5 |
| 2024 | 6 | 9 | 29 | 3 |
| 2024 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 4 |
| 2024 | 8 | 7 | 16 | 4 |
| 2024 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
| 2024 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 3 |
| 2024 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 3 |
| 2024 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 4 |
| 2025 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Trending Position
"Physical Evidence" is much too routine for its own good and even though Joe Paris's liberty is at stake here there is just no real sense of urgency to ensure justice is done. The film isn't helped by the fact it unfolds at an unexciting and pedestrian pace, but even so there is still a lot to enjoy ... here. The story is not a casual throw away and the sense of mystery and intrigue has been well sustained throughout. The film as a whole is watchable enough even though it has very little of consequence to say for itself and nothing at all to distinguish it from the many other films this particular genre has to offer, although it is an admirably gallant attempt to rise above the mundane.