The Pelican Brief (1993)

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Between this movie and The Firm, both of which are terrible, Grisham refused to approve any screenplay he wasn't involved in. I suppose if you've never read the book the movie might have some entertainment value. If, however, you loved the book you'll find so many things wrong with this movie.

RELEASED IN 1993 and directed by Alan J. Pakula from John Grisham's novel, "The Pelican Brief" is a political drama/thriller about a law student (Julia Roberts) who researches the murders of two supreme court justices and shares her theory with her college professor (Sam Shepard) who, in turn, gives it to an FBI friend on a lark. The brief hits a nerve because people start dying one-by-one. Denzel Washington plays a DC reporter who teams-up with the student while Robert Culp appears as the president. While I prefer "The Firm" (1993), which was also written by Grisham, this one is along the same lines, albeit with a totally different story (naturally). "Pelican" has more action, but the plot/characters aren't quite as interesting IMHO. Still, if you liked one, you'll probably appreciate the other. THE MOVIE RUNS 2 hours, 21 minutes and was shot in New Orleans and Washington DC/Maryland. ADDITIONAL CAST: John Heard plays an FBI agent, Stanley Tucci a hitman and John Lithgow an editor.GRADE: B/B-

I have to tell and affirm that movies made in the 90's have more substance and intelligence than recent ones. The movie is centered on intelligent discussion, so you need to concentrate to follow the plot. Though I haven't read John Grisham at all, I love the movies based on his novels. So far have watched A Time to Kill, Runaway Jury, The Firm, The Client; and I think the legal elements make the thriller more exciting.Being a fan of Denzel Washington, he aptly fits into the role and love the way he moves confidently, with practiced ease. Julia Roberts looks pretty, and gives a commendable performance as the scared legal student on the run. When she remarks her brief was 'ludicrous', I never expected it to form the crux of the plot (though the movie was titled about a brief), I mean what can a law student discover that the FBI cannot? But that's the way John Grisham thinks, and it's interesting.I was a bit disappointed that there were no court scenes as I love courtroom dramas. Nevertheless, the movie keeps you at the edge of the seat, as you keep trying to find out who were the perpetrators of the murder. I found myself wanting to know more even after Roberts reveals the content of her brief to Washington, and was quite satisfied in the end.

well here a a conspiracy thriller from the director presumed innocent and all the presidents men so you can see where the director is going with his story around white house stuff so with a great a list cast Julia Roberts ... Darby Shaw Denzel Washington ... Gray Grantham Sam Shepard ... Thomas Callahan John Heard ... Gavin Vereek 5Tony Goldwyn ... Fletcher Coal James Sikking ... FBI Director Denton Voyles William Atherton ... Bob Gminski Robert Culp ... President Stanley Tucci ... Khamel Hume Cronyn ... Justice Rosenberg John Lithgow ... Smith Keen so with all these characters a young Julia Roberts character derby shaw is a student who likes to study conspiracies come across a problem that might bring down the president as she is having an affair with the her professor who is an aid to one of the 2 judges killed so the brief he has on this conspiracy murder smells a idea that someone high has done this so when the F B I director gets wind of this through a mutual friend he he gives it to a body guard who is close to the presidents menpresident could be smeared. So, he advises the president to tell the director to drop it, which he does.and later on derby professor is out on a date and there messing around they go back to the car he refuse to let her drive she gets out and he blows up the FBI Are on her case but she gets away so as the action hot upher place is has been burglarized and what was taken were her computer and her disks. Obviously, her brief has someone really annoyed the president friend at the FBI, he agrees to come meet her but before he does someone shoots him and takes his place but derby is keeping ahead a goes to a journalist gray grantam who doesn't believe at first but when she brings him eviedence he goes public but his editor is suspicious about what going great thriller of cat and mouse this is my 76 review gave this 7 out of 10 its 2hrs 15mins a great looking movie can both of them live to tell the world as they are moving targets