The big-screen adaptation of the acclaimed stage play 'Prima Facie' has debuted at the Toronto Film Festival, featuring Cynthia Erivo in the lead role of Tessa, a criminal barrister whose career specialising in defending men accused of sexual assault takes a devastating turn when she herself becomes a rape victim. The transition from Jodie Comer's celebrated one-woman stage performance—which won both an Olivier and Tony Award—to this film version marks a significant creative reimagining of the theatrical work.

While reviews acknowledge strong moments in the film's early sequences, particularly the scene depicting Tessa's police report following her assault, critics have raised concerns about the execution of the subsequent courtroom drama elements. Reviewers suggest the film loses narrative momentum and focus once the story shifts to Tessa's position as a witness, suggesting the adaptation struggles to translate the stage play's intimate power to the screen in its second half.