Love it. It's an enjoyable story and Julia & Denzel are a deligt to see.
157 Reviews
Star appeal lifts a good political thriller
NewEnglandPat7 February 2006
Another John Grisham novel becomes an entertaining thriller that opens with the murder of two Supreme Court justices. A Tulane law clerk suspects that the killings are too much of a coincidence and suggests that a Louisiana oil magnate and the White House may be involved. Determined to find out the truth, the clerk's research puts her life in danger, which is clear enough when her law professor is killed. Julia Roberts spends most of the film on the run, dodging killers and murder plots. Denzel Washington is a reporter who get pieces of information from an unknown source and eventually Roberts and Washington team up to investigate the assassinations. The film has complicated twists as Roberts and Washington work together to stay out of harm's way as their investigation points its compass at the White House. The supporting cast is great as are all the tech credits and James Horner contributes a nice music score.
Good Suspense -- For the Intelligent Movie-Goer
KCS8225 July 2000
I enjoyed this film very much. It is well acted, and has plenty of star power, with great performances from Roberts and Washington. The story is compelling, and the cinematography lends itself to excellent suspense. However, many moviegoers (including myself) will find elements of the plot confusing and hard to follow. There are a great number of characters, and it is often difficult to tell who is who -- most of the "bad guys" dress alike and have similar hair, so distinguishing them becomes challenging. This may be a minor flaw in either casting or costume, making the characters somewhat undistinguishable. However, it also makes the plot quite intriguing, as the intelligent moviegoer becomes entangled at guessing just exactly who is associated with who, and so on. Still an excellent suspense movie -- if you like other Grisham movies (The Firm, the Rainmaker, etc.) you will like The Pelican Brief. But be warned: watch the film in an attentive state, and be prepared to think a lot. If you are a lazy, sit-back-and-relax type of viewer, this may not be the film for you.
An Awful Lot to Absorb
Hitchcoc6 January 2017
The foundation for this movie is the assassination of a couple of disparate Supreme Court justices. Their murders are on the minds of everyone in the country. A noted terrorist is involved in all of this and a character named Darby, played by Julia Roberts, sets out to find the evidence to discover the killer. That's all well and good. But what happens now is a series of murders and cover-ups and disappearances that make one need a scorecard to follow. I love more sophisticated drama and this is certainly one, but soon the President is involved. There is some land in Louisiana that is at the center of a lot of this, but because a rare breed of pelican is in danger, it becomes difficult. Even when the film is over, we don't really have it clear in our minds how things are going to play out. Some issues are settled but what's next. Roberts and Denzel Washington are quite good.
Engrossing, exasperating, enjoyably silly...
moonspinner558 July 2006
John Grisham's bestseller becomes paranoia thriller directed capably by Alan J. Pakula. "Eager beaver" Louisiana law student Julia Roberts does some home research trying to connect the backgrounds of two Washington, D.C. Supreme Court Justices who were murdered; her theories regarding the two men--who wanted them dead and why--turns out to be scarily accurate. The brief manages to get into the hands of top Presidential aides, and soon a contract is put out on her life. Shady political business is mixed with detective yarn and a (semi) love story between Roberts and stalwart newspaper journalist Denzel Washington, who is excellent. Smoothly done commercial package, well-paced and entertaining, though exceptionally far-fetched (which parlays into the enjoyment factor). Roberts pouts too much, and her first meeting with Washington (talking in a weepy whisper) is awful, but there is chemistry between the two and they help gloss over the more nonsensical parts of the script (such as a chase through a parking garage--full of cars but no witnesses--and the ridiculous, fatuous way the writers explain Roberts' seemingly unending credit and cash flow--"I have the money my father left me"). The supporting cast is filled with recognizable character actors all playing two-faced sons-of-bitches, with the minor exception of John Lithgow doing a nicely benign turn as the editor at Washington's paper. *** from ****
An unevenly paced yet engrossing thriller
krishshautriya14 March 2019
Based on John Grisham's book of the same name, this movie is about the murder of 2 Supreme Court justices, and how a law student gets embroiled in the conspiracy.
I would like to start by saying that this is one of the better John Grisham adaptations. Julia Roberts, who does most of the heavy lifting, and Denzel Washington both give terrific performances. The movie also succededs in successfully revealing things to audience before it is revealed to the characters in the movie.
The only problem with this movie was it's length, although looking back, I am not sure if anything could've been cut. Also, the film is not as successful in creating tension in the chase sequences.
But nitpicking aside, this is a very competent thriller and one that I can recommend to any thriller fan, and any John Grisham fan.
P.s. - The only John Grisham adaptation better than this in my opinion is the Firm.
Scary political thriller works due to good script, fine performances...
Doylenf10 January 2007
JULIA ROBERTS is a damsel in distress when she writes a brief, theorizing what and who was behind the murder of two Supreme Court justices. DENZEL WASHINGTON is the investigative reporter who sees some merit in her theory and reluctantly decides to offer his help in tracking down the bad guys.
It's based on a terrific John Grisham thriller and given a well crafted script, good performances and taut direction from Alan J. Pakula. I'm not a fan of either Roherts or Washington, so for me to praise this movie shows you how suspenseful and entertaining it is as a thriller.
The overrated Julia Roberts is a huge box-office star who never once appealed to me despite her enormous popularity and Denzel Washington is a competent actor who sometimes does extra fine work--but neither one would win a popularity poll with me.
So, with that personal bias showing, I still give THE PELICAN BRIEF a respectable rating because it does what it sets out to do--it keeps you hooked until the ending after a few unexpected plot twists totally in keeping with this kind of story where the heroine is in peril because she knows too much.
Well worth a view.
It's based on a terrific John Grisham thriller and given a well crafted script, good performances and taut direction from Alan J. Pakula. I'm not a fan of either Roherts or Washington, so for me to praise this movie shows you how suspenseful and entertaining it is as a thriller.
The overrated Julia Roberts is a huge box-office star who never once appealed to me despite her enormous popularity and Denzel Washington is a competent actor who sometimes does extra fine work--but neither one would win a popularity poll with me.
So, with that personal bias showing, I still give THE PELICAN BRIEF a respectable rating because it does what it sets out to do--it keeps you hooked until the ending after a few unexpected plot twists totally in keeping with this kind of story where the heroine is in peril because she knows too much.
Well worth a view.
Hitchcock would have been pleased
hylinski23 March 2006
You gotta love Alan Pakula. His Pelican Brief is true to the source material but manages to complement it with artfulness learned from Hitchcock and the events portrayed in All The President's Men (also directed by Pakula).
The result is a thriller which never has to resort to the hackneyed or the obvious. Even the chase scene in a car park manages to be a little different.
He has casted brilliantly (perhaps Fletcher Coal should have been older?) but his masterstroke is commisioning James Horner to provide the score. At times sparse and at others boldly chromatic it jangles the nerves as Julia and Denzel duck and weave their way through a maze of unease.
A great way to spend two hours.
The result is a thriller which never has to resort to the hackneyed or the obvious. Even the chase scene in a car park manages to be a little different.
He has casted brilliantly (perhaps Fletcher Coal should have been older?) but his masterstroke is commisioning James Horner to provide the score. At times sparse and at others boldly chromatic it jangles the nerves as Julia and Denzel duck and weave their way through a maze of unease.
A great way to spend two hours.
Everyone I have told about the brief is dead.
lastliberal14 August 2007
Take any John Grisham novel and have it brought to screen, written and directed by Alan J. Pakula (Sophie's Choice, All the President's Men. To Kill a Mockingbird), and add Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington as the leads, and you have a movie that is worthy of 141 minutes of your life.
I love political films. You know that if you have read my reviews. Political thrillers are especially great. This one is well worth watching for the story, the directing, and, most especially, for the lead actors. I do not think that Washington and Roberts have ever disappointed me - OK, there was that License to Kill in 1984.
I won't synopsize - you can get that anywhere - but, I will say that you will not be disappointed. It's not a popcorn movie, you have to put some effort into watching it, but the rewards are great. And the chemistry between Roberts and Washington is fantastic!
I love political films. You know that if you have read my reviews. Political thrillers are especially great. This one is well worth watching for the story, the directing, and, most especially, for the lead actors. I do not think that Washington and Roberts have ever disappointed me - OK, there was that License to Kill in 1984.
I won't synopsize - you can get that anywhere - but, I will say that you will not be disappointed. It's not a popcorn movie, you have to put some effort into watching it, but the rewards are great. And the chemistry between Roberts and Washington is fantastic!
Lifeless legal political thriller only for die hard fans of Julia Roberts...
DeuceWild_7728 March 2018
Let me start to say that i never read the John Grisham's book this movie is based on, so i'm judging only the motion picture.
When "The Pelican Brief" came out in '93 it was a major box office hit everywhere, partly due to the casting of Julia Roberts as Darby Shaw (still riding on the "Pretty Woman" success which made her being cast in almost every greenlighted project around that time, from the average potboiler, "Sleeping with the Enemy" to the trite / corny, "Dying Young" and Spielberg's misstep, "Hook", all undeserved blockbusters...) and for being the second Grisham's work adapted to the big screen, after the vastly superior "The Firm" directed by Sidney Pollack and starring Tom Cruise, which opened earlier in that year with good reviews and millions earned at the box office.
The veteran Alan J. Pakula was a great director during the 70's, his political thrillers such as "The Parallax View" ('74) and "All the President's Men" ('76) or the crime / thriller "Klute" ('71) are among the best made in that decade, but in the 80's besides "Sophie's Choice" ('82) his career kind of tanked, only saved by the critical and box office success of "Presumed Innocent" ('90), starring Harrison Ford, that made Pakula a relevant name again and based on his skill directing those political thriller films, Warner Bros. offered him the chance to helm "The Pelican Brief", which he also produce and provided the screenplay.
The story itself, even if it was standard, became confusing since the start due to badly edited sequences and the lack of information that was given to the viewer about what is happening on screen and who are those people involved in that situations, with Pakula assuming that every moviegoer read the book. Scenes were randomly happening, characters appear and disappear without proper development or explanation and the way Darby uncovers the truth, surpassing the F.B.I., it's too far-fetched.
It didn't help that the pace is sluggish and the movie didn't involve, amaze or even dare, it's in fact dull and boring mostly of its length and feels like Pakula condensed half the book in some key scenes to get the storyline moving and the rest was just for showing the imposed by the Studio, Julia Roberts in every scene and camera angle possible and imaginary (and always with the same irritating expression).
A bored looking Denzel was cast in a role that asked for a rich white man, playing here second fiddle to a troubled protagonist (like he did in "Philadelphia" the very same year, but he was much better in that) and refused the interracial love affair with Roberts like the characters in the book, which was a good decision not because of the skin color, but for the lack of on-screen chemistry between the two.
The brilliant supporting cast are wasted here: the late great Sam Shepard was given almost nothing to do; John Heard & Stanley Tucci failed to leave an impression; Robert Culp played his part too goofy to be the President of United States and only Tony Goldwin (still in "Ghost" mode) showed some signs of being awake.
In short, "The Pelican Brief" is a lifeless film directed by an once big name director, far away from his glory days, that feels more like a Julia Roberts' vehicle than an exciting political thriller. It may be one of the worst Grisham's adaptations to the big screen, if you like the genre you rather watch "The Firm", "The Client" ('94) or even "A Time to Kill" ('96), because this one is a near waste of time...
When "The Pelican Brief" came out in '93 it was a major box office hit everywhere, partly due to the casting of Julia Roberts as Darby Shaw (still riding on the "Pretty Woman" success which made her being cast in almost every greenlighted project around that time, from the average potboiler, "Sleeping with the Enemy" to the trite / corny, "Dying Young" and Spielberg's misstep, "Hook", all undeserved blockbusters...) and for being the second Grisham's work adapted to the big screen, after the vastly superior "The Firm" directed by Sidney Pollack and starring Tom Cruise, which opened earlier in that year with good reviews and millions earned at the box office.
The veteran Alan J. Pakula was a great director during the 70's, his political thrillers such as "The Parallax View" ('74) and "All the President's Men" ('76) or the crime / thriller "Klute" ('71) are among the best made in that decade, but in the 80's besides "Sophie's Choice" ('82) his career kind of tanked, only saved by the critical and box office success of "Presumed Innocent" ('90), starring Harrison Ford, that made Pakula a relevant name again and based on his skill directing those political thriller films, Warner Bros. offered him the chance to helm "The Pelican Brief", which he also produce and provided the screenplay.
The story itself, even if it was standard, became confusing since the start due to badly edited sequences and the lack of information that was given to the viewer about what is happening on screen and who are those people involved in that situations, with Pakula assuming that every moviegoer read the book. Scenes were randomly happening, characters appear and disappear without proper development or explanation and the way Darby uncovers the truth, surpassing the F.B.I., it's too far-fetched.
It didn't help that the pace is sluggish and the movie didn't involve, amaze or even dare, it's in fact dull and boring mostly of its length and feels like Pakula condensed half the book in some key scenes to get the storyline moving and the rest was just for showing the imposed by the Studio, Julia Roberts in every scene and camera angle possible and imaginary (and always with the same irritating expression).
A bored looking Denzel was cast in a role that asked for a rich white man, playing here second fiddle to a troubled protagonist (like he did in "Philadelphia" the very same year, but he was much better in that) and refused the interracial love affair with Roberts like the characters in the book, which was a good decision not because of the skin color, but for the lack of on-screen chemistry between the two.
The brilliant supporting cast are wasted here: the late great Sam Shepard was given almost nothing to do; John Heard & Stanley Tucci failed to leave an impression; Robert Culp played his part too goofy to be the President of United States and only Tony Goldwin (still in "Ghost" mode) showed some signs of being awake.
In short, "The Pelican Brief" is a lifeless film directed by an once big name director, far away from his glory days, that feels more like a Julia Roberts' vehicle than an exciting political thriller. It may be one of the worst Grisham's adaptations to the big screen, if you like the genre you rather watch "The Firm", "The Client" ('94) or even "A Time to Kill" ('96), because this one is a near waste of time...
The best of the Grisham movies
Shrykespeare11 August 2004
Forget the plot holes. Forget the implausibility of the story. This is Grisham, the modern-day master of legal and political conspiracy and intrigue.
This movie centers on one thing: the chemistry between the on-screen duo of Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. And they do not disappoint. Both give absolutely stellar performances, Washington as the reporter who desperately wants his story to see the light of day but is not afraid to let his compassion show through, and Roberts as a terrified law student engulfed in a situation where she is way over her head, trying simultaneously to survive and avenge the death of her lover. There is not one scene, not one bit of dialogue, verbal or non-verbal, that doesn't make be believe everything they say, and that is a testament to the acting abilities of Roberts and Washington, two of Hollywood's best.
For pretty much the entire second half of the movie, Denzel and Julia's characters work together to find proof of the conspiracy that resulted in the assassination of two Supreme Court judges, while at the same time dodging unscrupulous lawyers, heavies and an international hitman.
In their final scene together, when Darby is taking the FBI director's private plane out of the country, the bond that has grown between her and Gray is extremely noticeable. They deplane, and Gray shows Darby the headline exposing the conspiracy. Darby smiles, shakes Gray's hand, and proceeds to walk to the car that will take her to her new location.... but no, a handshake is just not enough, not after what they'd been through... so she goes back and gives Gray a huge hug, which he returns. The mutual respect is there for all to see. No words are spoken throughout the entire scene, they are not necessary.
Having read many of Grisham's books and seen all of the movies adapted from those books, I wondered how "The Pelican Brief" would stack up against all the others in the long run. In my opinion, it is still the best of the bunch.
My score: a solid 10.
This movie centers on one thing: the chemistry between the on-screen duo of Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. And they do not disappoint. Both give absolutely stellar performances, Washington as the reporter who desperately wants his story to see the light of day but is not afraid to let his compassion show through, and Roberts as a terrified law student engulfed in a situation where she is way over her head, trying simultaneously to survive and avenge the death of her lover. There is not one scene, not one bit of dialogue, verbal or non-verbal, that doesn't make be believe everything they say, and that is a testament to the acting abilities of Roberts and Washington, two of Hollywood's best.
For pretty much the entire second half of the movie, Denzel and Julia's characters work together to find proof of the conspiracy that resulted in the assassination of two Supreme Court judges, while at the same time dodging unscrupulous lawyers, heavies and an international hitman.
In their final scene together, when Darby is taking the FBI director's private plane out of the country, the bond that has grown between her and Gray is extremely noticeable. They deplane, and Gray shows Darby the headline exposing the conspiracy. Darby smiles, shakes Gray's hand, and proceeds to walk to the car that will take her to her new location.... but no, a handshake is just not enough, not after what they'd been through... so she goes back and gives Gray a huge hug, which he returns. The mutual respect is there for all to see. No words are spoken throughout the entire scene, they are not necessary.
Having read many of Grisham's books and seen all of the movies adapted from those books, I wondered how "The Pelican Brief" would stack up against all the others in the long run. In my opinion, it is still the best of the bunch.
My score: a solid 10.
Works Better With Repeated Viewings
damianphelps30 March 2022
Investigative thrillers are some of my favourite movies, whenever I want to really sink my teeth into something and get absorbed by it, they are my films of choice.
The film carries plenty of tension, urgency and mystery which are the elements you need in this kind of movie.
The acting is first class and the film will not leave you disappointed :)
The film carries plenty of tension, urgency and mystery which are the elements you need in this kind of movie.
The acting is first class and the film will not leave you disappointed :)
Roberts Ruins It
gilscotftz14 December 2003
I expected that Darby Shaw would be the same intelligent and forceful person described so well in Grisham's book. Instead there was this timorous, whiney, shakey, mumbling caricature of Darby. Others performed well, but Roberts ruined the movie for me.
A solid popcorn thriller
rivertam2619 March 2020
Back in 93 when this film rocked box offices, I was 13 and obsessed with it. I was such a weirdo lol. It was mostly Julia Roberts and she is still one of my favorite actresses. She stars as Darby Shaw a young law student having relations with her professor. She creates a document called the pelican brief as an explanation of why some Judges were murdered. Her lover passes it off to his friend in the bureau and it begins to circulate leaving dead bodies in its wait, Including her boyfriend. Suddenly she's on the run and finds solace when she reaches out to an investigative reporter played by a solid Denzel Washington. Together they must try and survive so that can get the truth out. Watching it now it's still quite entertaining but Roberts is a little over emotional and the actual brief is never fully explained. It's undoubtedly fun but their characters and the plot aren't developed enough to truly be effective. The end it's smart popcorn entertainment.
Budget: $45m Domestic Box Office: $101m Worldwide Box Office: $195m
3.5/5
Budget: $45m Domestic Box Office: $101m Worldwide Box Office: $195m
3.5/5
not so thrilling John Grisham with a few questions
SnoopyStyle22 February 2014
Two Supreme Court Justices have been killed. The president (Robert Culp) wants investigations but nobody has a clue. Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) is a law student sleeping with her professor Thomas Callahan (Sam Shepard). She obsessively research to find a case with both Justices on the same side and possibly a motive. Callahan gives it to Gavin Vereek (John Heard) working for the FBI. The brief goes all the way to Fletcher Coal (Tony Goldwyn) White House Chief of Staff. Fletcher Coal is concerned that something in the brief will be embarrassing to the White House. Soon after professor Callahan is killed in a car bomb.
Meanwhile reporter Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington) working the case from a different angle receives a call from an informant called Garcia. When killers come after Darby, she contacts Grantham.
This thriller takes too long to get going. It is too complicated and goes on forever. Based on a John Grisham novel, this movie has no mystery. The bad guys are obviously bad. The case behind all the killers is nothing more than an excuse. As a thriller, it has a few moments. It's just never gets rolling for long. Every time there is a bit of excitement, it's followed by grinding exposition. Julia Roberts is playing up the damsel in distress so much. The crying is really distracting. She's constantly talking in a soft low voice.
While Julia on the run is compelling, she does things that seems unlikely. For example, why does she meet her friend Alice in person? Why not just call? Presumably she called her to meet. It's not like she got money for her. She could have told her everything on the phone.
And why not tell Grantham the entire story? What's the point of holding back? Presumably he's not part of the conspiracy. Also why not rewrite the Pelican brief? She wrote it in the first place. Couldn't she rewrite it again? There are just too many nagging questions about the logic of everything. I can appreciate the complexity of it all, and a few things will fall through the cracks. That's why real intense rewrites are necessary.
Also the bad guys keep being right there waiting for them, bugging everywhere, and yet can't seem to kill them. They shoot at them from far away, but when they're close, they never even try. When a shooting would be so much easier, the bad guy uses a car bomb.
Meanwhile reporter Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington) working the case from a different angle receives a call from an informant called Garcia. When killers come after Darby, she contacts Grantham.
This thriller takes too long to get going. It is too complicated and goes on forever. Based on a John Grisham novel, this movie has no mystery. The bad guys are obviously bad. The case behind all the killers is nothing more than an excuse. As a thriller, it has a few moments. It's just never gets rolling for long. Every time there is a bit of excitement, it's followed by grinding exposition. Julia Roberts is playing up the damsel in distress so much. The crying is really distracting. She's constantly talking in a soft low voice.
While Julia on the run is compelling, she does things that seems unlikely. For example, why does she meet her friend Alice in person? Why not just call? Presumably she called her to meet. It's not like she got money for her. She could have told her everything on the phone.
And why not tell Grantham the entire story? What's the point of holding back? Presumably he's not part of the conspiracy. Also why not rewrite the Pelican brief? She wrote it in the first place. Couldn't she rewrite it again? There are just too many nagging questions about the logic of everything. I can appreciate the complexity of it all, and a few things will fall through the cracks. That's why real intense rewrites are necessary.
Also the bad guys keep being right there waiting for them, bugging everywhere, and yet can't seem to kill them. They shoot at them from far away, but when they're close, they never even try. When a shooting would be so much easier, the bad guy uses a car bomb.
It's all been seen before
Mr_PCM11 April 2009
The 1993 film with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington still in the formation years of their careers – so this is certainly if nothing else a curiosity piece seeing how these megastar A-listers performed before they truly reached the top. John Grisham novels will generally make for a reasonably solid if unspectacular film, with just sufficient meat for serious actors to get their teeth into, and the Pelican Brief is no exception to this rule.
When two senior judges are murdered, twenty-four year old law student Darby Shaw (Roberts) looks into the case and her suspicions somehow make their way to the FBI – suspicions that prove potentially damaging to the US government. Now she and journalist Gray Grantham (Washington) must try to stay alive long enough to ensure what they have uncovered is told to the world.
Few do distress-turned-determination better than Julia Roberts, but after a slow start followed by a great deal of panicked running and hiding, interest wanes somewhat. Meanwhile Denzel Washington is given so little to do in the first hour to the point he is almost forgotten. Further, it takes so long for us to actually discover what was written in the eponymous brief and for the leads to meet and agree to take action, that the audience's desire to get to the bottom of the 'mystery' is definitely lessened. However, once the two do start working together in the latter half interest does pick up, but not enough to retrieve the film from its ponderous start. Roberts and Washington do the job required of them but seem to treat it as little more than a day at the office – there is very little of the energy we have come to expect from Roberts, or Washington in particular. The secondary roles are filled slightly better – John Lithgow in particular a standout newspaper editor, and watch out for a very young Cynthia Nixon (Miranda from Sex in the City) as Julia Roberts' student friend. However, Stanley Tucci as one of a number of shadowy government figures on the tail of the leads should have stuck to the shadows more. There is little of the slickness, the grit and pace characteristic of later John Grisham adaptations such as Runaway Jury.
Legal thrillers about corrupt government prepared to kill to save their own position have been done so often (and so often much better) that little feels fresh about this Grisham adaptation, to the extent that were it not for the presence of A-listers Roberts and Washington this film would have long been forgotten. As it is, the film does not have enough thrills to save it from the fate of the DVD bargain basement bin. If you wanted to see this, it would probably be cheaper to buy than rent this film – and it would make a nice coaster! OK for a throwaway (literally) Saturday night film, but not memorable in any way. It's all been seen and done before.
When two senior judges are murdered, twenty-four year old law student Darby Shaw (Roberts) looks into the case and her suspicions somehow make their way to the FBI – suspicions that prove potentially damaging to the US government. Now she and journalist Gray Grantham (Washington) must try to stay alive long enough to ensure what they have uncovered is told to the world.
Few do distress-turned-determination better than Julia Roberts, but after a slow start followed by a great deal of panicked running and hiding, interest wanes somewhat. Meanwhile Denzel Washington is given so little to do in the first hour to the point he is almost forgotten. Further, it takes so long for us to actually discover what was written in the eponymous brief and for the leads to meet and agree to take action, that the audience's desire to get to the bottom of the 'mystery' is definitely lessened. However, once the two do start working together in the latter half interest does pick up, but not enough to retrieve the film from its ponderous start. Roberts and Washington do the job required of them but seem to treat it as little more than a day at the office – there is very little of the energy we have come to expect from Roberts, or Washington in particular. The secondary roles are filled slightly better – John Lithgow in particular a standout newspaper editor, and watch out for a very young Cynthia Nixon (Miranda from Sex in the City) as Julia Roberts' student friend. However, Stanley Tucci as one of a number of shadowy government figures on the tail of the leads should have stuck to the shadows more. There is little of the slickness, the grit and pace characteristic of later John Grisham adaptations such as Runaway Jury.
Legal thrillers about corrupt government prepared to kill to save their own position have been done so often (and so often much better) that little feels fresh about this Grisham adaptation, to the extent that were it not for the presence of A-listers Roberts and Washington this film would have long been forgotten. As it is, the film does not have enough thrills to save it from the fate of the DVD bargain basement bin. If you wanted to see this, it would probably be cheaper to buy than rent this film – and it would make a nice coaster! OK for a throwaway (literally) Saturday night film, but not memorable in any way. It's all been seen and done before.
An Enjoyable, Star-Studded, Conspiracy Thriller
seymourblack-113 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Screen adaptations of a number of John Grisham's best-selling legal thrillers became big box office hits and "The Pelican Brief" certainly falls into this category. With an intriguing plot, numerous action sequences and a star-studded cast, it's no surprise that it did good business. The political conspiracy at the heart of the story makes this an ideal undertaking for director Alan J Pakula whose previous record of success with this type of material is highly impressive and the insidious way in which he builds up the threatening atmosphere of the piece is one of the movie's strongest qualities.
Following the assassinations of a couple of Supreme Court Justices, brilliant law student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) does some research into any possible similarities between the two men whose political allegiances were known to be very different. Based on her findings, she then writes a brief that outlines her theory about who was responsible for the murders and passes it to her Tulane University law professor Thomas Callahan (Sam Shepherd), who's also her lover. Callahan passes the brief on to his good friend and FBI lawyer Gavin Verheek (John Heard) who, in turn, passes it up through his chain of command.
Darby's brief implicates a very wealthy oil tycoon, the FBI and even the White House, so when Callahan is murdered, she suddenly realises that she's in great danger and goes on the run. In her predicament, it's difficult to know who she can trust, so when she contacts respected "Washington Herald" investigative journalist Clay Grantham (Denzel Washington) who, coincidentally had also been tipped off about the story by an anonymous caller who got cold feet before disclosing everything he knew. Darby and Grantham then team up to chase the evidence that they need to authenticate her theory, so that Grantham can eventually break the story in his newspaper.
The cast of top class actors in this movie gives the action a great deal of credibility with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington doing particularly well in showing how a bond of trust develops between their characters as they cope with a series of life-threatening situations as well as some other forms of adversity.
Overall, "The Pelican Brief" is an enjoyable movie with the requisite number of chases, shoot-outs and explosions etc and plenty of suspense. Its weakest quality though is its very deliberate pace which prevents it from achieving its potential in terms of excitement.
Following the assassinations of a couple of Supreme Court Justices, brilliant law student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) does some research into any possible similarities between the two men whose political allegiances were known to be very different. Based on her findings, she then writes a brief that outlines her theory about who was responsible for the murders and passes it to her Tulane University law professor Thomas Callahan (Sam Shepherd), who's also her lover. Callahan passes the brief on to his good friend and FBI lawyer Gavin Verheek (John Heard) who, in turn, passes it up through his chain of command.
Darby's brief implicates a very wealthy oil tycoon, the FBI and even the White House, so when Callahan is murdered, she suddenly realises that she's in great danger and goes on the run. In her predicament, it's difficult to know who she can trust, so when she contacts respected "Washington Herald" investigative journalist Clay Grantham (Denzel Washington) who, coincidentally had also been tipped off about the story by an anonymous caller who got cold feet before disclosing everything he knew. Darby and Grantham then team up to chase the evidence that they need to authenticate her theory, so that Grantham can eventually break the story in his newspaper.
The cast of top class actors in this movie gives the action a great deal of credibility with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington doing particularly well in showing how a bond of trust develops between their characters as they cope with a series of life-threatening situations as well as some other forms of adversity.
Overall, "The Pelican Brief" is an enjoyable movie with the requisite number of chases, shoot-outs and explosions etc and plenty of suspense. Its weakest quality though is its very deliberate pace which prevents it from achieving its potential in terms of excitement.
Pakula at his best....I love this movie
pik92317 January 2008
This is just a great 'whodunit' legal thriller. Gripping, intelligent, acting is superb, the story is well constructed and builds in this beautiful crescendo. It' a huge cast and everyone is perfectly suited for their role. It moves beautifully, it flows like a movie should flow. I can't find any real flaw worth sharing. Just isn't there. I think it sets up Denzel Washington to continue in his escalating career as a wonderful character actor, a huge movie star, a big talent. Tony Goldwyn, since GHOST has this tendency to play the 'bad guy' but what can I say, he's good in this film too. Robert Culp, I love his impossible character. Julia Roberts is wonderful as the young starry-eyed law student who stumbles upon things bigger than anything she ever imagined. I loved every moment of the film. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys good solid film making. It should be used in teaching film - how to construct a story, how to keep the story one step ahead of the audience, making it suspenseful and exciting without having to resort to unnecessary violence or sex to make a movie work. It almost breaks through 'formula' scripts as suggested by the pundits who often don't have their finger on the pulse of what audiences want. It's one of the few films that when ever on television draws me in again and again and again!
A regular conspiracy in a movie where the script's logic flaws are all too obvious.
filipemanuelneto2 September 2019
This is yet another movie involving the US government and far-fetched conspiracy theories. This time, everything revolves around an environmental issue.
The plot is simple, but far-fetched enough to confuse the most inattentive audience: After two US Supreme Court judges are mysteriously murdered, Darbie Shaw, a law student, realizes that there should be some connection between the two judges and that they should both have been killed because of a lawsuit in which both participated. From then on, she goes ahead with a theory in a file that will eventually reach the CIA, leading to a series of murders and putting Shaw herself in danger of life. To prevent everything from being drowned out by the government, she contacts Gray Grantham, a journalist investigating the case.
Personally, I think one of the biggest shortcomings of this movie is its script: Based on a book I've never read, the movie takes too long to develop and only halfway through we find out what mysterious theory Shaw wrote and why so many people seem to be willing to kill her. That is, we spend the initial half of the movie watching people die or flee so they don't die without us knowing why. The next half of the movie is, however, much less interesting. In addition, there are issues of lack of logic in some details, which the film deftly ignores, but our mind unveils as we begin to think about it.
Julia Roberts is a good actress, but I don't know if she will have fond memories of this movie, where she played a damsel in distress and in need of salvation by a Denzel Washington always ready to face the danger. Nonetheless, the two actors worked well enough and established good chemistry in front of the camera. The rest of the cast doesn't stand out much ... except maybe Tony Goldwyn and Sam Shepard, who were great additions to the cast.
The plot is simple, but far-fetched enough to confuse the most inattentive audience: After two US Supreme Court judges are mysteriously murdered, Darbie Shaw, a law student, realizes that there should be some connection between the two judges and that they should both have been killed because of a lawsuit in which both participated. From then on, she goes ahead with a theory in a file that will eventually reach the CIA, leading to a series of murders and putting Shaw herself in danger of life. To prevent everything from being drowned out by the government, she contacts Gray Grantham, a journalist investigating the case.
Personally, I think one of the biggest shortcomings of this movie is its script: Based on a book I've never read, the movie takes too long to develop and only halfway through we find out what mysterious theory Shaw wrote and why so many people seem to be willing to kill her. That is, we spend the initial half of the movie watching people die or flee so they don't die without us knowing why. The next half of the movie is, however, much less interesting. In addition, there are issues of lack of logic in some details, which the film deftly ignores, but our mind unveils as we begin to think about it.
Julia Roberts is a good actress, but I don't know if she will have fond memories of this movie, where she played a damsel in distress and in need of salvation by a Denzel Washington always ready to face the danger. Nonetheless, the two actors worked well enough and established good chemistry in front of the camera. The rest of the cast doesn't stand out much ... except maybe Tony Goldwyn and Sam Shepard, who were great additions to the cast.
Ho-hum adaptation still better than The Firm
mnpollio19 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
John Grisham's first couple of best-sellers - The Firm, The Pelican Brief and The Client - were fairly lively page-turners, but none of them received very strong adaptations to the big screen, which is a true shame. The Firm, especially, was a total mess, but The Pelican Brief is only slightly better.
Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. Tulane law student Julia Roberts compiles a brief, which identifies a subtle link between the two which may have been the motivation for the assassinations. She does it as a lark, not realizing that her mentor and sometime boyfriend Sam Shepard would pass it on as a document of interest to contacts in the government. Next thing she knows she is on the run from assassins and attempts on her life, with only the help of idealistic journalist Denzel Washington.
The story definitely requires some suspension of disbelief to get off the ground. In the novel, it was possible because Grisham kept the pace nimble and kept the action moving. In the film, the credibility issue stands out like a sore thumb largely because the pace is so sluggish. The lead character of Darby Shaw is so bland that it quite frankly does not seem possible for her to have conspired this brief nor that anyone would consider her much of a threat. Alan J. Pakula, usually a director of some merit, stages the assassinations on the two Justices totally devoid of tension or style. It is almost like witnessing a commercial for insomnia. Thankfully, he rouses himself a bit more later in the film. There is a nice moment where he contrasts Roberts and Stanley Tucci, as a killer, readying themselves for a meeting.
The film picks up in the latter half, which prevents it from becoming a complete misfire. Yet, even with that, it still fails to catch fire and does not do justice to its source.
Roberts would seem ideal casting, but Darby Shaw is such a cipher that the role fails to give her much to sink her teeth into. Even worse, Pakula has apparently instructed her to restrain her natural on screen ebullience which robs the part of much needed life. It is only towards the end that Roberts really seems to be enjoying herself on screen.
It must have seemed like a great coup to cast Roberts opposite Washington, but alas the two have zero chemistry together. With Roberts restrained close to passivity, Washington goes all star turn and fails to connect at all with the other actors or his leading lady. Oftentimes it seems like he is reciting his lines directly to an audience rather than the people in the same scene, an approach that wears thin quickly.
There are no real surprises in the story and with a leaden first half, the film falls well short of thriller status. Still, it is a much better effort than Sydney Pollack's atrocious adaptation of The Firm and not as fatuous as Joel Schumacher's The Client. Grisham fans would still be well-advised to stick to the book.
Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. Tulane law student Julia Roberts compiles a brief, which identifies a subtle link between the two which may have been the motivation for the assassinations. She does it as a lark, not realizing that her mentor and sometime boyfriend Sam Shepard would pass it on as a document of interest to contacts in the government. Next thing she knows she is on the run from assassins and attempts on her life, with only the help of idealistic journalist Denzel Washington.
The story definitely requires some suspension of disbelief to get off the ground. In the novel, it was possible because Grisham kept the pace nimble and kept the action moving. In the film, the credibility issue stands out like a sore thumb largely because the pace is so sluggish. The lead character of Darby Shaw is so bland that it quite frankly does not seem possible for her to have conspired this brief nor that anyone would consider her much of a threat. Alan J. Pakula, usually a director of some merit, stages the assassinations on the two Justices totally devoid of tension or style. It is almost like witnessing a commercial for insomnia. Thankfully, he rouses himself a bit more later in the film. There is a nice moment where he contrasts Roberts and Stanley Tucci, as a killer, readying themselves for a meeting.
The film picks up in the latter half, which prevents it from becoming a complete misfire. Yet, even with that, it still fails to catch fire and does not do justice to its source.
Roberts would seem ideal casting, but Darby Shaw is such a cipher that the role fails to give her much to sink her teeth into. Even worse, Pakula has apparently instructed her to restrain her natural on screen ebullience which robs the part of much needed life. It is only towards the end that Roberts really seems to be enjoying herself on screen.
It must have seemed like a great coup to cast Roberts opposite Washington, but alas the two have zero chemistry together. With Roberts restrained close to passivity, Washington goes all star turn and fails to connect at all with the other actors or his leading lady. Oftentimes it seems like he is reciting his lines directly to an audience rather than the people in the same scene, an approach that wears thin quickly.
There are no real surprises in the story and with a leaden first half, the film falls well short of thriller status. Still, it is a much better effort than Sydney Pollack's atrocious adaptation of The Firm and not as fatuous as Joel Schumacher's The Client. Grisham fans would still be well-advised to stick to the book.
the perfect story for Louisiana
lee_eisenberg23 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
During the 20th century, much of Louisiana's history has centered on the oil industry's efforts to drill the marshland in search of petroleum, damaging the region's ecosystem. Alan J. Pakula's movie "The Pelican Brief" addresses this. I haven't read John Grisham's novel, but the movie is one of the most intense movies that you'll ever see. Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts put their all into the roles of a reporter and student, respectively, trying to expose a conspiracy involving the White House and the oil industry. Not a masterpiece, but I recommend it nevertheless.
Also starring Robert Culp (Bob in "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice"), John Heard (the dad in "Home Alone"), Cynthia Nixon (Miranda on "Sex and the City") and Stanley Tucci.
Also starring Robert Culp (Bob in "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice"), John Heard (the dad in "Home Alone"), Cynthia Nixon (Miranda on "Sex and the City") and Stanley Tucci.
Classic 90's semi-lulling thriller
elvarfreyrelvarsson24 February 2023
John Grisham books are and will always be at least semi interesting on the silver screen, especially if said movie be starring Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington and Sam Shepherd for good mesure. We end up with a thriller that never quite gets it's wings but makes up for it by sheer 90's nostalgia and some good acting by said threesome. We also get good performances by Stanley Tucci, John Heard and Robert Gulp who makes a great job portraying the quintessential tool president. The downside to the whole thing is that the movie doesn't seem to make up it's mind on how much it should include the audience on what's really going on with the whole conspiracy which ended up leaving me somewhat confused at times. It does give up enough details along the way to make one wish to keep going and the performance of the cast and the directional skills of Alan J. Pakula (All the President's Men) as well as the music of James Horner (Titanic, Aliens, Braveheart) make this semi-lulling thriller a perfect 90's throwback. Weak 7 - would watch again.
The only film I have seen where virtually nothing happened
Bilstein30 June 2001
I watched this film on a Saturday evening, at a prime time hour. It was reportedly an edgy sort of thriller, with Julia Roberts and Denzil Washington, who apparently gave excellent performances. I was looking forward to it with some suspense. And that suspense was just about the only suspense I got. I don't remember the length of the film, but it felt like well over 4 days, and it was not time well spent. This has to have been the only film I have seen where virtually nothing happened. Julia Roberts was unusually irritating throughout, Denzil Washington's character was hollow and watching it from beginning to end made me feel like I was watching a year-long golf tournament. I nearly fell asleep several times, and my overall reaction was that the film simply was a failure. Failure to convince, deliver or provide any entertainment or suspense whatsoever.
2/10 - and it can count itself lucky to have got that
2/10 - and it can count itself lucky to have got that
Fine Acting and Good Plot
stavrou-878537 March 2021
Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington have a great chemistry and they are both excellent actors so i won't make any comments on their acting. The Pelican Brief is a good political thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, even the few action scenes are amazing. The only disadvantage is the usage of many names and short explainnation on some points. Personally I have to watch it again so i can get the facts straight. I strongly reccomend it!
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