- Release Date: 1993
- Runtime: 141 min
- Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Starring: Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard ... see all
- Director: Alan J. Pakula
- Plot: Two Supreme Court Justices have been killed. Now a college professor, who clerked for one of the two men, who's also having an affair with one of his students, is... Read more
User Reviews
the crime of secrets
Dec 26, 2008
jordantracy4 - yahoo.com
Dec 26, 2008jordantracy4 - yahoo.com
wow, what a movie!!! This movie had me excited and guessing throughout! I named the title of my review the crime of secrets because I noticed not a lot of people knew about this crime. At first, I thought Julia Roberts... Full review
Pelican Brief is anything but "brief"
Apr 06, 2008
weirdscience721 - yahoo.com
Apr 06, 2008weirdscience721 - yahoo.com
Impressive movie about corruption. Filled with action, a denzel washington classic. I have this movie on DVD, AND I must say it is fantastic, about a law student who writes a brief about the murder of a supreme court justice, accusing... Full review
Everyone I have told about the brief is dead.
Aug 14, 2007
lastliberal - imdb.com
Aug 14, 2007lastliberal - imdb.com
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... Full review
A high profile Crime Story
Mar 29, 2007
Biswajit Tripathy - imdb.com
Mar 29, 2007Biswajit Tripathy - imdb.com
This movie is based on a novel by John Grisham. John Grisham's movies are always based on and around lawyers and their ability to solve crimes. This story is about a law student who uncovers a conspiracy resulting in her... Full review
Scary political thriller works due to good script, fine performances...
Jan 10, 2007
Neil Doyle - imdb.com
Jan 10, 2007Neil Doyle - imdb.com
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... Full review
Unfaithful and poor
Nov 30, 2006
fatimacvidal - yahoo.com
Nov 30, 2006fatimacvidal - yahoo.com
This movie's atory is completely unfaithful to the book. The movie doesn't have the suspense of the book, being very slow and cheesy. The actings are decent and the visulas are poorer that I hoped. I'm very sad with this movie... Full review
Great Movie
Oct 29, 2006
freman_quek - yahoo.com
Oct 29, 2006freman_quek - yahoo.com
Thsi is the kind of movie which really set people thinking. The real thing that might have happen around us everyday but we just ain't informed of. Its a pity they did not make such movies anymore.... Full review
A Brief ring of truth
Sep 11, 2006
benbrae76 - imdb.com
Sep 11, 2006benbrae76 - imdb.com
I haven't read this particular John Grisham novel on which this film was based, so I can't comment as to the film's faithfulness to it. I can surmise however that from reading other Grisham novels it "feels" like it might... Full review
A Brief ring of truth
Sep 11, 2006
cricketman-4 - imdb.com
Sep 11, 2006cricketman-4 - imdb.com
I haven't read this particular John Grisham novel on which this film was based, so I can't comment as to the film's faithfulness to it. I can surmise however that from reading other Grisham novels it "feels" like it might be... Full review
Engrossing, exasperating, enjoyably silly...
Jul 08, 2006
moonspinner55 - imdb.com
Jul 08, 2006moonspinner55 - imdb.com
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... Full review
Critics Reviews
| Dec 17, 1993Deseret News
But the film's failure is ultimately the fault of Pakula, who lets too many scenes run on too long, never allows us to get to know any of the characters very well - especially Roberts!
In fact, the movie of "The Pelican Brief" is quite faithful to the book, and therein lies a large portion of its problems: Too many characters, too much plotting and not enough suspense to keep it all moving.
... Full Review
| Dec 17, 1993James Berardinelli's Reviews
Ultimately, probably the biggest problem with The Pelican Brief is.... ... Full Review
| Dec 13, 1993Variety
stellar work by writer-producer-director Alan J. Pakula that eliminates most of the novel's flaws.... ... Full Review
Laramie Movie Scope
With the two deceased justices leaving seats absent on the Court, the President (Robert Culp) must appoint two new replacements favoring his agenda.
Two justices of the US Supreme Court are murdered: the elderly, ailing, liberal Rosenberg (Hume Cronyn), shot dead in his bed along with his male nurse in his home, and Jensen, garroted in a theater frequented by homosexuals; the FBI's security having failed to protect them.
... Full Review
Chicago Reader
Pakula allows this 1993 movie to dawdle after its climax.... ... Full Review
News
After turning down offers for 10 years, U.S. writer John Grisham has agreed to a movie deal for his 1999 novel The Testament. The 821 Entertainment Group, the Nashville-based firm formed to create movies with "heartland appeal" has struck a... ... Full Article
'30 Rock': Cutbacks
ew.com –
2009-04-10
Last night's 30 Rock , while not one of the show's most sophisticated episodes, still had some pretty fantastic lines -- and some really cute moments between Liz and Jack. ... Full Article
Race Matters: Is Hollywood Truly Color Blind When It Comes To On-Screen Romance?
starpulse.com –
2008-09-29
The title is certainly a misnomer. This crackling thriller will have a long, prosperous box office flight and promises quite literally to give the first John Grisham film adaptation, "The Firm," a run for its money. ... Full Article
In this slow, talky adaptation of John Grisham's best-seller, Alan Pakula--director of subtle and suspenseful thrillers like KLUTE and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN--is undone by the stubborn shortcomings of his source material. ... Full Article
Embroiled in an affair with Thomas Callahan (Sam Shephard), her alcoholic professor, precocious 24-year-old Tulane University law student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) writes up an insightful theory about the recent murder of two Supreme Court justices, one of whom, Abraham... ... Full Article

The Pelican Brief - movie - part 1 of 10
The Pelican Brief Trailer
