Review №3

The Pelican Brief (1993)

Cast: 

Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard, William Atherton, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Release date  - December 13. 1993

Country - United States

Synopsis
After two Supreme Court judges are assassinated, bright young law student Darby, comes up with a conspiracy theory that is worringly accurate. Soon the government are after her and her mentor, Professor Thomas Callahan, breaking into houses and blowing up cars. Her only hope in exposing the truth and staying alive, lies in investigative reporter Gray Grantham

Main characters

Darby Shaw – a low student

Thomas Callahan – a low professor

Gavin Verheek – Callahan’s friend at FBI

Gray Grantham – a political reporter

Khamel – a contract killer

Curtis Morgan -  a lawyer in the oil and gas division of White & Blazevich in Washington

Based on the John Grisham novel, THE PELICAN BRIEF is a movie written for the screen, produced and directed by Alan J. Pakula (All the President's Men) in 1993.

Direction

Alan Pakula is the real professional in directing such kind of movies. “The Pelican Brief” is considered to be the most successful film adaptation of Grisham’s novel and I think it is mainly director’s service.  Pakula’s particular style and specific way to tell the story has made the film is worthy of 141 minutes of your time.  In this movie, Pakula centers on showing how important a sheer force of will is in uncovering conspiracies. I think that even if the less known actors played in it, the movie would still have become a hit and so highly appreciated thanks to director Alan Pakula & his team.

Writing:

The main thing I dislike in the film is the standard and sometimes too long dialogues. (I don’t mean it’s worse than the typical American silly comedies with only drunk and love scenes, but the dialogs were really too boring!) So, I can’t say that I don’t know which would happen next second. Although the storyline is fairly straightforward by complication with numerous dialogues on philosophical themes characters and who often were hard to distinguish from each other, the film is not consider to be dull. It's a good example, racy thriller with a lot of suspense. There're many heart-beating moments (like the explosion of professor’s car). It’s full of different themes which I believe will not be outdated, and the way they are played on makes the film so topical in spite of the fact it is about 20 year old. There is the type of movies which tend to be seen when I am doing 100 hundred other things at the same time. Undoubtedly, this film is out of this group. Not anyone like this writing, but it doesn’t mean that something wrong with it. Probably those people simply have a long way to go before he begins to understand this writing. (including myself partly).

Editing:

The film was released in 1993, so it explains the absence of the computer-generated graphics with numerous explosions, inconceivable shootings and pursuits. However, I think it’s the great advantage of this movie. Everything is based on the skills of the director (I’ve mentioned about it above) and the main actors. Although Julia Roberts is always associated with “Pretty Woman”, she played this role brilliantly too. Today’s films extremely depend on the computer-generated graphics and I think it is one of the major key of their popularity. “The Pelican Brief” is the example of the film with breath-taking episode made only thanks for the brilliant performing skills of the actors. The quality of the editing is out of the question because almost every episode, whether it is about pursuits or just conversation makes you think and come to your own conclusion. Peaceful scenes (if I may call them so because even they arouse the nervous tension) are changed into scenes of pursuits or Robert’s attempt to hide herself from the contracted killer. Especially the scene she meets with as she believes Verheek (with Khamel in fact).

Costume design: 

There is not anything unusual in it. The film is not historical one, so it is OK. However, some Robert’s clothing, especially after her lover’s killing reflect her emotions, anxiety and help to express all these in addition to her facial expression and gestures, I’d like to mention also about the fact that sometimes the clothing are so unremarkable and alike that it was problem to me to distinguish who was who.

Set design:

As I have already written, the film is mainly supported by the director’s skills and actor’s performance.  Many scenes disclose different problems through the place it happened and emotions of people this or that events involved. For example, the scene when Callahan is killed by a car bomb impressed me most though Robert’s emotions. The controversy between the seriousness of the issue and atmosphere surround is also the characteristic feature of the set design of “The Pelican Brief”. For example President playing with his dog and at the same time dialog about the danger on his reputation because of this scandal around killing of two judges, strained Robert’s meeting with Verheek (Khamel) in the crowd of the merry, light hearted people and others. Although Pakula tries to tell about the theme mainly through conversation or monologues, unmistakably, he uses set design thus attracting of viewer’s attention both visually and orally.

My impression

It's a nice movie in spite of the fact it was sometimes too difficult to understand for me. I explain it by the fact I have not attained its level yet. I consider this movie as well-made thrilling investigation politic law story. I believe it is also worth visiting because it raises all problems we usually discuss in out Speech practice lesson  - mass media, corruption in the highest levels of authority, assassination, and the environment. I expected to see film which would be more close to the theme of environment, but what I see has  lived up to my expectations by such high level performance and the wide range of problems raised in it. If you like tension and you are ready to spend 141 minutes more working mentally rather than relaxing, this film is really good choice.