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Warner Bros. Pictures
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Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. One lone law student has stumbled upon the truth. An investigative journalist wants her story. Everybody else wants her dead.
A law student's theory about the recent deaths of two Supreme Court justices embroils her in a far-reaching web of murder, corruption, and greed.
Wuchak
May 25, 2018 · via TMDB
Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington team-up in this crime thriller RELEASED IN 1993 and directed by Alan J. Pakula from John Grisham’s novel, "The Pelican Brief” is a political drama/thriller about a law student (Julia Roberts) who researches the murders of two supreme court justices and shares her theory with her college professor (Sam Shepard) who, in turn, gives it to an FBI friend on a lark. The brief hits a nerve because people start dying one-by-one. Denzel Washington plays a DC reporter who teams-up with the student while Robert Culp appears as the president. While I prefer “The Firm” (1993), which was also written by Grisham, this one is along the same lines, albeit with a totally different story (naturally). “Pelican” has more action, but the plot/characters aren’t quite as interesting IMHO. Still, if you liked one, you’ll probably appreciate the other. THE MOVIE RUNS 2 hours, 21 minutes and was shot in New Orleans and Washington DC/Maryland. ADDITIONAL CAST: John Heard plays an FBI agent, Stanley Tucci a hitman and John Lithgow an editor. GRADE: B/B-
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Julia Roberts
Darby Shaw
Denzel Washington
Gray Grantham
Sam Shepard
Thomas Callahan
John Heard
Gavin Vereek
Tony Goldwyn
Fletcher Coal
James B. Sikking
Denton Voyles
William Atherton
Bob Gminski
Robert Culp
The President
Stanley Tucci
Khamel
Hume Cronyn
Justice Rosenberg
John Lithgow
Smith Keen
Anthony Heald
Marty Velmano
Nicholas Woodeson
Stump
Stanley Anderson
Edwin Sneller
John Finn
Matthew Barr
Cynthia Nixon
Alice Stark
Jake Weber
Curtis Morgan
Casey Biggs
Eric East
Christopher Murray
Rupert
Joe Chrest
Song and Dance Man from Bar
Edwin Newman
Edwin Newman
Helen Carey
Federal Clerk
Carl Palmer
Cop in Cowboy Boots
Carol Sutton
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Lieutenant Olsen
Danny Kamin
Hooten
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CIA Agent in Hotel Room
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Eliza Coleman
Female Pursuer with Gun
Doug Coleman
Male Pursuer with Gun
Michael Port
Tulane Law Student
Marianne Hettinger
Eyewitness (uncredited)
Codie Scott
Man Partying in Quarter (uncredited)
Stephen Goldblatt
Director of Photography
Albert Wolsky
Costume Design
Doug Coleman
Stunt Coordinator
David Efron
Stunts
Eliza Coleman
Stunts
Eric Chambers
Stunts
Linda Perlin
Stunts
Mick O'Rourke
Stunts
Roy Farfel
Stunts
Alan J. Pakula
Director
John Rusk
Second Assistant Director
Alan J. Pakula
Producer
Pieter Jan Brugge
Producer
Celia D. Costas
Unit Production Manager
James Horner
Original Music Composer
Jerome Chen
Lead Animator
John Grisham
Novel
Alan J. Pakula
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1980
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1978 · 13 wins
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