The Accused is directed by Jonathan Kaplan and written by Tom Topor. It stars Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis. Music is by Brad Fiedel and cinematography by Ralf D. Bode.
After Sarah Tobias (Foster) suffers a brutal rape in a road side bar one night, prosecutor Kathryn Murphy (McGillis) takes up the case to bring the perpetrators to justice. Including the ones who encouraged and cheered on the attack.
Criminal Solicitation.
Some have bemoaned The Accused as being a TV movie type production, while the thematic edge of Sarah Tobias being a "good time gal, even slutty", has caused consternation in highbrow circles. What garbage!
Depressingly based around an incident that occurred in Massachusetts 1983, The Accused is still a powerful film watching experience over twenty years after it was released. It finds Kaplan and Topor refusing to sweeten the meal, it is what it is, uncompromising in detail whilst casting sleazy like shadows over the justice system and the marginalisation of Sarah Tobias. In fact, as an observation of the law, with its plea bargains and shifting around of character judgements and actions, it's a potent piece of cinema.
Foster is terrific and completely deserved her Oscar win for Best Actress. She has Sarah as tough and demonstrative in her belief that justice has not been served, that because she likes a drink, a tug of weed and a flirt with the boys, she is fair game to be ganged raped whilst others cheer on like Neanderthals. The energy and raw emotion shown by Foster is fantastic and a lesson in acting that budding actresses should study. McGillis was overlooked for praise, but she also is wonderful, brilliantly written by Topor, Kathryn Murphy in McGillis' hands builds from a weary cynic at the beginning to a force of nature later in the courtroom. The scenes there between Foster and McGillis are enough to shatter your heart.
Opening the film with a scene that sees Sarah screaming and fleeing from the bar, her clothes torn, the makers rightly show the actual rape at the end of the film in flashback form. It's harrowing and devastating, and the point where the picture achieves all the goals it set itself. If you are sitting there thinking about TV production value or predictability? Then quite frankly you really haven't been paying attention. 9/10
After Sarah Tobias (Foster) suffers a brutal rape in a road side bar one night, prosecutor Kathryn Murphy (McGillis) takes up the case to bring the perpetrators to justice. Including the ones who encouraged and cheered on the attack.
Criminal Solicitation.
Some have bemoaned The Accused as being a TV movie type production, while the thematic edge of Sarah Tobias being a "good time gal, even slutty", has caused consternation in highbrow circles. What garbage!
Depressingly based around an incident that occurred in Massachusetts 1983, The Accused is still a powerful film watching experience over twenty years after it was released. It finds Kaplan and Topor refusing to sweeten the meal, it is what it is, uncompromising in detail whilst casting sleazy like shadows over the justice system and the marginalisation of Sarah Tobias. In fact, as an observation of the law, with its plea bargains and shifting around of character judgements and actions, it's a potent piece of cinema.
Foster is terrific and completely deserved her Oscar win for Best Actress. She has Sarah as tough and demonstrative in her belief that justice has not been served, that because she likes a drink, a tug of weed and a flirt with the boys, she is fair game to be ganged raped whilst others cheer on like Neanderthals. The energy and raw emotion shown by Foster is fantastic and a lesson in acting that budding actresses should study. McGillis was overlooked for praise, but she also is wonderful, brilliantly written by Topor, Kathryn Murphy in McGillis' hands builds from a weary cynic at the beginning to a force of nature later in the courtroom. The scenes there between Foster and McGillis are enough to shatter your heart.
Opening the film with a scene that sees Sarah screaming and fleeing from the bar, her clothes torn, the makers rightly show the actual rape at the end of the film in flashback form. It's harrowing and devastating, and the point where the picture achieves all the goals it set itself. If you are sitting there thinking about TV production value or predictability? Then quite frankly you really haven't been paying attention. 9/10