The Pelican Brief Director: Alan J. Pakula Cast: Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard
Blu-ray - Wide Screen Learn more
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- Blu-ray Release Date: 02/10/2009
- Original Release: 1993
- Rating:
- Sales Rank: 1,511
FOR PARENTS
- Common Sense Rates this for Ages: More
| More Formats | |
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| DVD - Wide Screen | $7.49 |
| DVD - Wide Screen | $14.99 |
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Editorial Reviews
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 Rosenberg (Hume Cronyn), served as Callahan's mentor. When Callahan shares this so-called "Pelican Brief" with buddy Gavin Verheek (John Heard), an FBI lawyer, the document makes its way to White House flack Fletcher Coal (Tony Goldwyn), who believes it could topple the current administration. When Callahan is murdered and the President (Robert Culp) convinces the FBI to hold off on investigating Darby's theory, the resourceful student must go into hiding, stalked by relentless assassin Khamel (Stanley Tucci). Her only hope of escaping Callahan's fate and proving her theory lies in Washington investigative reporter Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington), who's already had one confidential source back out of sharing information about the assassinations. This John Grisham adaptation is fairly faithful to the best-selling novel, but the book's interracial romance between Shaw and Grantham was left out of the script (or at least the finished product), leaving many progressive viewers annoyed at Hollywood's conservatism. Fans of HBO's Sex and the City will notice one of its future stars, Cynthia Nixon, in a small role as one of Darby's New Orleans classmates. Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Why We Rated This Appropriate for Ages 14 and UP
What to watch out for
- Drugs
- Language:
Some profanity.
- Messages
- Sex:
One brief scene features a murder in a porno theater.
- Violence:
Characters killed.
- Consumerism:
A hotel chain is mentioned.
What Parents Need to Know
About ThePelican Brief
Parents need to know that this film is relatively free of foul language, violence, or explicit sex. But one brief scene features a murder in a porno theater; the main character is shown in a heavy clinch with a boyfriend, and several characters are killed over the course of the film (though gore is at a minimum).
Families Can Talk About
Families can talk about the way that political thrillers dramatize events that could have happened in real life. Conversations on the role of the whistle-blower, and the responsibility of citizens to speak up when they see wrongdoing, might also be sparked by this movie.
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