Editing Absence of Malice (section)

==Reception==
===Critical response===
''Absence of Malice'' received mostly positive reviews. Newman and Dillon's performances were praised, as was Brimley's cameo. Many reviewers compared the film to the 1976 [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-winner  ''[[All the President's Men (film)|All the President's Men]]''. In his review, ''Time'' magazine's Richard Schickel wrote "''Absence of Malice'' does not invalidate ''All the President's Men''. But with entertainment values – and a moral sense – every bit as high as that film's, it observes that there is an underside to journalistic gallantry."<ref>Schickel, Richard. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922725,00.html "Cinema: Lethal Leaks"] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317134626/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922725,00.html |date=March 17, 2012 }}), ''Time'' magazine (November 23, 1981).</ref> Similarly, ''Variety'' called it "a splendidly disturbing look at the power of sloppy reporting to inflict harm on the innocent."<ref><!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->[https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117796641?refcatid=31 "''Absence of Malice''{{-"}}], ''Variety'' (December 31, 1980).</ref>

The ''Chicago Sun-Times''{{'}} [[Roger Ebert]] wrote that some may take the approach "that no respectable journalist would ever do the things that Sally Field does about, to, and with Paul Newman in this movie. She is a disgrace to her profession." Instead he preferred a "romantic" approach, writing that he "liked this movie despite its factual and ethical problems" and was not "even so sure they matter so much to most viewers".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |title=Absence of Malice movie review (1981) |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/absence-of-malice |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=rogerebert |language=en |archive-date=June 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622065549/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/absence-of-malice |url-status=live }}</ref> Janet Maslin of ''The New York Times'' found the movie "lacking in momentum", but praised its "quiet gravity".<ref>Maslin, Janet. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF173BB72CAA494CC1B7799D836896 "MOVIE REVIEW: NYT Critics' Pick: Absence of Malice"] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513051210/https://www.nytimes.com/reviews/movies |date=May 13, 2024 }}), ''The New York Times'' (November 19, 1981)</ref> Although [[Pauline Kael]] described the film as only "moderately entertaining", she offered higher praise for Newman's "sly, compact performance" and particularly for "the marvelously inventive acting of Melinda Dillon".<ref name="Kael">{{Cite book |last=Kael |first=Pauline |author-link=Pauline Kael |title=5001 Nights at the Movies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w4LzeUZ03vQC |year=2011 |orig-year=1991 |publisher=Henry Holt and Company |isbn=978-1-250-03357-4 |access-date=November 2, 2016 |archive-date=February 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214220331/https://books.google.com/books?id=w4LzeUZ03vQC |url-status=live }}</ref>

Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 81% based on reviews from 27 critics, with an average score of 6.8/10.<ref>{{cite web
| url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/absence_of_malice/
| title= Absence of Malice (1981)
| publisher= [[Rotten Tomatoes]]
| access-date= 2023-01-22
| archive-date= September 27, 2020
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200927111101/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/absence_of_malice
| url-status= live
}}</ref>

===Academic use===
''Absence of Malice'' has been used in journalism and public administration courses to illustrate professional errors such as writing a story without seeking confirmation and having a romantic relationship with a source.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Lauren |last=Kirchner |journal=Columbia Journalism Review
 |url=https://archives.cjr.org/critical_eye/absence_of_malice_1981.php |title=Absence of Malice (1981): When Bad Journalism Kills |date=July 15, 2011 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225220426/https://archives.cjr.org/critical_eye/absence_of_malice_1981.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Sanford |last=Borins |url=http://www.sandfordborins.com/2015/12/12/absence-of-malice-learning-from-mistakes/|title=Absence of Malice: Learning from Mistakes |date=December 12, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2020|archive-date=September 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927131448/http://www.sandfordborins.com/2015/12/12/absence-of-malice-learning-from-mistakes/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Journalism Ethics Goes to the Movies |editor-first=Howard |editor-last=Good |chapter=What is Good Work? Absence of Malice |first=Holly R. |last=Stocking |page=49 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2008 |isbn=9780742554283 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_sIgPCSX8aoC&pg=PA49 |oclc=137305773 |access-date=April 6, 2024 |archive-date=April 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240406211535/https://books.google.com/books?id=_sIgPCSX8aoC&pg=PA49 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Box office===
The film was a box office success. ''Film Comment'' said "It was the first picture in ages that had Newman playing opposite a strong female co-star in a romantic vein and Columbia astutely capitalized on public desire to see Newman in such a role again."<ref>Meisel, Myron (Mar/Apr 1982). "Seventh Annual Grosses Gloss". ''Film Comment''; New York Vol. 18, Iss. 2: 60–66, 80.</ref>

===Accolades===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[54th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| [[Paul Newman]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="3"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1982 |title=The 54th Academy Awards (1982) Nominees and Winners |access-date=2011-08-24 |work=oscars.org |archive-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425113425/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1982 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| [[Melinda Dillon]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen]]
| [[Kurt Luedtke]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[32nd Berlin International Film Festival|Berlin International Film Festival]]
| [[Golden Bear]]
| rowspan="3"| [[Sydney Pollack]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="3"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1982/03_preistr_ger_1982/03_Preistraeger_1982.html |title=Berlinale 1982: Prize Winners |access-date=2010-09-02 |work=berlinale.de |archive-date=October 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015120231/http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1982/03_preistr_ger_1982/03_Preistraeger_1982.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Honourable Mention
| {{won}}
|-
| Reader Jury of the "Berliner Morgenpost"
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[39th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama|Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama]]
| [[Sally Field]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/absence-malice |title=Absence of Malice – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=July 5, 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1982}} |archive-date=August 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804172049/https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/absence-malice |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay – Motion Picture]]
| Kurt Luedtke
| {{nom}}
|-
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
| Best Supporting Actress
| rowspan="2"| Melinda Dillon
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1980-89/ |title=KCFCC Award Winners – 1980-89 |date=December 14, 2013 |access-date=July 10, 2021 |archive-date=December 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201105239/https://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1980-89/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[1981 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards|Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards]]
| [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]
| {{Runner-up}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lafca.net/Years/1981.php |title=The 7th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards |website=[[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]] |access-date=December 11, 2011 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207044548/http://www.lafca.net/Years/1981.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[34th Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Drama – Written Directly for the Screen]]
| Kurt Luedtke
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|title=Awards Winners|work=wga.org|publisher=Writers Guild of America|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|archive-date=2012-12-05|access-date=2010-06-06}}</ref>
|}