Home :: DVD :: Mystery & Suspense  

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem
British Mystery Theater
Classics
Crime
Detectives
Film Noir
General
Mystery
Mystery & Suspense Masters
Neo-Noir
Series & Sequels
Suspense
Thrillers
The Pelican Brief

The Pelican Brief

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.98
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 >>

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: needed romance
Review: listen hollywood when you put two of the most important faces in hollywood together you need to showcase all aspects of them.the story is okay but because of hollywood's interracial hangup's this film never sizzles like it should.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: EXCELLENT. VERY SUSPENSEFUL.
Review: The Pelican Brief is a wonderful movie. It is very suspenseful, and has a wonderful story line. It is like you are Julia Roberts at one point. It is very scary and exciting all at once. Believe me, at this price, it is a steal. It's like the Director is in Direct line to Alfred Hitchcock and they have the same talent.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Intellectual Suspense
Review: The pink sunset, beach and pelican's rising from the water is a very creative and peaceful start to a movie filled with death. Perhaps the sunset symbolizes death, yet we know it will rise again and that gives the viewer hope that the story will have a positive conclusion.

The story unfolds at a snail's pace in comparison to today's fast pace movies. There is not that much detail to the actual story, yet as the movie progresses, more and more people keep dying so the story gets more complex. You can't just run to get more popcorn and leave the movie running or you will miss an important detail.

Darby Shaw is dating a professor and does some research to amuse herself and calls it the Pelican Brief. Two Supreme Court justices are murdered and she turns her suspicions about the deaths into a brief. This is based on John Grisham's best-selling book. She finds that after she reveals her thoughts to her boyfriend, the whole world seems to know about her. Feeling stalked, she hides out and then finally calls an investigative reporter. They both become targets and you are sure they will not live to tell their story.

This story deals with environmental issues and is as relevant today as it was when filmed. For that aspect you might enjoy the intrigue. While I kept wondering if Roberts and Denzel would kiss, the hug they share is in a way more meaningful. They work together on a story and respect one another. No one gets used, they become friends and both benefit from the experience.

Classy movie if you want to see Denzel's talent. Julia takes on so many emotions and hairstyles, one just doesn't know what she will do next. The shock on her face when her boyfriend's car blows up is so good, you just wonder how she does it!

She always becomes her character no matter what role she plays. For those who enjoy a slower paced movie with lots of mind games to figure out.

A must for Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington fans.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: This is another FLIPPY
Review: This is a fine film and high quality DVD but for one major flaw; it is a flippy. That is you must turn the thing over half way through. Why must they do that?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: If you like Julia Roberts you'll love this thriller !!!!!
Review: This is Julia Roberts best suspenseful legal thriller ever!!!! With Denzel Washington their charisma & chemistry are top notch.

In summary Roberts plays a law student in New Orleans who writes a paper ("The Pelican Brief") which theorizes a murder conspiracy involving the White House! Naturally this draws attention to Roberts and proves to be true. An intense manhunt begins. Roberts befriends an investigative reporter (Washington) and the chase & suspense escalates.

This movie & script really shows the depth of Julia Roberts acting ability. So if you want a very entertaining and nail biting movie get "The Pelican Brief" today. You'll watch over and over.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: If you like Julia Roberts you'll love this thriller !!!!!
Review: This is Julia Roberts best suspenseful legal thriller ever!!!! With Denzel Washington their charisma & chemistry are top notch.

In summary Roberts plays a law student in New Orleans who writes a paper ("The Pelican Brief") which theorizes a murder conspiracy involving the White House! Naturally this draws attention to Roberts and proves to be true. An intense manhunt begins. Roberts befriends an investigative reporter (Washington) and the chase & suspense escalates.

This movie & script really shows the depth of Julia Roberts acting ability. So if you want a very entertaining and nail biting movie get "The Pelican Brief" today. You'll watch over and over.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Relax and Enjoy
Review: This is one of my favorites among several films based on John Grisham's novels, the others being The Firm and The Client. None is a great film but all three are consistently entertaining. Grisham's skills are those of a storyteller. There is little (if any) character development. However, as is also true of many of Hitchcock's films, the leading characters become involuntarily involved in a process of discovery and soon find themselves in harm's way. Young law student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) completes what she calls "The Pelican Brief" without fully realizing how threatening and potentially dangerous its contents could be to the administration of an incumbent president played by Robert Culp. She becomes a fugitive, eventually aided by Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington), a newspaper reporter who helps her to gather the additional information she needs to (literally) save her life. Most of the time, the narrative moves along at a brisk pace. Roberts and Washington deliver solid performances as do John Heard, James B. Sikking, and John Lithgow.

I'm not damning with faint praise when suggesting that although this is not a great film, it's worth seeing again from time to time...unlike so many others both you and I could name.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Supernatural Thriller!!
Review: This movie is simply one of the best thrillers I've ever seen! I think those people who didn't think much of it, didn't quite understand the basic plot! Maybe not paying enough attention or interest, because if you did; you'll love it!!

I had to watch it a couple of times before I understood the whole thing, but I was only 13 years old then, now I'm 15! But this movie will give you the chills for the rest of the night, knowing that if you knew "something"...who would want to kill you? That feeling is continuely following Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) right to the end of the movie... And what would you do when there's only one man you can trust who wants your story, when everybody else wants you dead...?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Pelican Brief
Review: This movie was very entertaining. It had the right amount of action, suspense and excitement. I recommend this movie on a rainy night to enjoy.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fasten Your Seatbelts.......
Review: This review refers to the Warner Bros 1997 DVD edition of "The Pelican Brief".....

"The Pelican Brief" is a poltical thriller that will keep you invovled from beginning to end. It teams legendary Director Alan J Pakula("Klute"/All the President's Men") with equally legendary mystery writer John Grisham("The Firm"/"The Client"). Then add these names into the mix...Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Hume Cronyn, Sam Shepard, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and a score by James Horner, and you've got yourself a great recipe for a well made film. And although I did not find it as compelling as "All the President's Men" or as suspenseful as "Klute" or "The Firm", I did find myself, thanks to the great acting, becoming totally involved with the characters and the storyline.

Here's the story...Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. Brillant law student Darby Shaw(Roberts), who has a passion for constitutional law, decides to start do a little investigating of her own concerning the deaths. What she finds is too frightning to even believe. She prepares a brief, that winds up in the hands of government officials, and pretty soon anyone involved winds up in the mourge as well. Darby goes on the run fearing she is next and doesn't know who to trust. The only one she can turn to is investigative reporter Grey Grantham(Washington). The two race to prove her theory as they become the hunted as well.Lots of great action and intrigue keep the story going.

The DVD is very good as far as the quality of the picture and sound. The widescreen presentation, lets you see all the action,the picture is clear and colors bright and sharp.The Dolby surround brings it all right into the room with you. The only problem I had with the DVD was having to turn it over after 1:17 into the film. I did notice though in the technical info that the release date of the DVD is 2/4/03. I have had mine much longer and although it appears to be the same DVD, perhaps they rereleased it. Maybe renting it first would answer that question. Not much in the way of "Bonus Features". There are some production notes, including how the cast prepared for their indivual roles(in which we are assured that Stanley Tucci, who plays an assassin, did not go out and kill anyone!), and there are some previews of other films made by Alan J Pakula.

I would reccommend this film to anyone who is a fan of Grisham, Pakula, Roberts or Washington, or if you just enjoy a good thriller.

Get the popcorn ready and get ready to jump!.....enjoy...Laurie


<< 1 2 3 4 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates