Cynthia Erivo's 'Prima Facie' Film Adaptation Receives Mixed Reviews at London Premiere

Cynthia Erivo garnered significant attention at the London Film Festival premiere of her new movie "Prima Facie" on Tuesday night, gracing the red carpet in a custom Prada gown. The slinky, canary yellow dress featured a backless design that showcased Erivo's tattoos.

The film, based on Suzie Miller's one-woman play of the same name, centers on Erivo's character Tessa, a barrister who defends men accused of sexual assault before becoming a victim of assault herself. The play, which starred Jodie Comer in its West End and Broadway productions, earned critical acclaim and awards, including a Tony and Laurence Olivier Award for Comer.

However, the film adaptation has faced a more tempered reception from critics. Tim Robey of The Telegraph awarded the film two stars, describing it as a "finger-wagging lecture" and criticizing the screenplay for turning Erivo's character into a "mere mouthpiece." He also noted a "televisual look" and "fluffed and obvious" directing.

Robert Daniels of Screen Daily echoed this sentiment, calling the film "an underwhelmingly flat message picture" hampered by "on-the-nose creative choices and writerly missteps." The Hollywood Reporter's Caryn James labeled the movie a "misfire" and a "huge disappointment," citing a "clunky recurring voiceover," "cringey, obvious visuals," and a "preachy ending."

Liam Gaughan of Far Out described "Prima Facie" as a "contrived attempt to stir up discussion that lacks the conviction to stand on its own two feet to provoke any ambiguity, a legal drama of exasperating bluntness with a distractingly hammy performance from Cynthia Erivo."

Conversely, Therese Lacson of Collider praised Erivo's performance, stating that she "slips into Tessa's role with ease," navigating both the lighter first half and the heavier conclusion. Lacson found the film's thoughtful approach and execution "well worth the watch."

Pete Hammond of Deadline suggested that the decision to adapt the play by extensively using voice-over thoughts from Erivo's character, a technique used in the stage production with Comer's character, was a gamble that "perhaps doesn't reproduce the power of the stage production."

Richard Lawson of The Guardian gave the film two stars, calling it a "pointless" adaptation that had "flattened" the original script.

Erivo, speaking at the premiere, expressed her commitment to the project, stating, "I just knew immediately that I wanted to do this because I knew how important it was. I also had this feeling that it was more important than I was even aware of, and I wanted to be part of it."

The film is scheduled for release in UK cinemas in November.