The Pelican Brief (1993)

IMDb plot summary: A law student uncovers a conspiracy, putting herself and others in danger.

Directed by Alan J. Pakula. Stars Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, and Sam Shepard.

The Pelican Brief is a legal thriller based on a John Grisham novel in which a young law student, played here by Julia Roberts, unwittingly writers up a plausible theory to solve the assassination of two judges, a theory that implicates not only an enormous corporation but also the White House. Suddenly she finds herself being hunted down, seemingly to eliminate her and any of the suggestions that she put forth in her brief. This is a generally enjoyable but also pretty forgettable story. Following the different threads from moment to moment was fairly enjoyable, but the overall arching story is not one that I think I'm going to remember much past this particular viewing. I do think the film does a good job of playing up the tension and bringing us along in the moment, which is what a thriller should do. The moments of not feeling like she can trust anybody were genuinely unsettling without feeling over the top. It's a well-constructed story and if this is a genre that you are interested in, this is definitely one that's worth watching.

How it entered my Flickchart:

The Pelican Brief (1993)

lost to Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles (#1996 → #1993)

beat The Doorway to Hell (#2991 → #2992)

beat Blow Out (#2494 → #2506)

beat Dhamaal (#2244 → #2274)

lost to Mad God (#2120 → #2014)

beat Safety Not Guaranteed (#2182 → #2186)

beat Real Genius (#2151 → #2314)

beat Wreck-It Ralph (#2135 → #2161)

lost to Cropsey (#2127 → #2122)

lost to Beverly Hills Cop (#2131 → #1983)

beat Ford v Ferrari (#2133 → #2144)

beat Being the Ricardos (#2132 → #2136)

📊 Ranked #2020/3997 on my Flickchart

🎯 Flickscore™: 49