The Accused

10/14/19881h 51m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ The first scream was for help. The second is for justice. ~

Overview:

Out drinking one night after a fight with her boyfriend, three men brutally rape Sarah Tobias in a bar while people watch and cheer. District Attorney Kathryn Murphy takes the case; however, she allows the rapists to receive a mild sentence. A distraught Sarah decides to seek punishment for the men who witnessed and encouraged the rape. To get justice, Sarah must take the stand and revisit the night of her attack.

Director:

Jonathan Kaplan

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

rape
alcohol
boston, massachusetts
clothing
based on true story
rape victim
gang rape
district attorney
injustice
peer pressure
drunkenness
shocking
courtroom drama
victim blaming
thought provoking
bar
onlooker
provocative
horrified
inflammatory
crowd mentality

Cast

Jodie Foster

~ as ~

Sarah Tobias

Kelly McGillis

~ as ~

Kathryn Murphy

Bernie Coulson

~ as ~

Ken Joyce

Leo Rossi

~ as ~

Cliff 'Scorpion' Albrect

Ann Hearn

~ as ~

Sally Fraser

Carmen Argenziano

~ as ~

D.A. Paul Rudolph

Steve Antin

~ as ~

Bob Joiner

Tom O'Brien

~ as ~

Larry

Peter Van Norden

~ as ~

Attorney Paulsen

Terry David Mulligan

~ as ~

Lieutenant Duncan

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
7
We start this film with the image of a young woman, half dressed, running in the rain screaming for help. It turns out she is "Sarah" (Jodie Foster) and after a passer-by takes her to hospital we learn that she has been gang raped in the games room of a bar. Deputy DA "Murphy" (Kelly McGillis) is assigned to the case, and although she believes her client, she is reluctant to prosecute as she doesn't think she can win. Her DA boss "Rudolph" (Carmen Argenziano) insists that they must change the accused three men with something, so they settle on a lesser charge after some plea bargaining. Needless to say, "Sarah" is livid, and tempers really flare when one of the other men from the bar that night, goads her into ramming her car into his. This is the point when the ambitious lawyer has a bit of a volte-face and despite the objections this time of her boss, she initiates a prosecution of the others in the bar for egging on the rapists - criminal solicitation. Can she prove these men are guilty? If so, that will also ensure those who got off lightly will also end up serving full sentences and have the nature of their sexual assaults placed on their criminal records. Foster is impressive here. She offers us a compelling portrayal of a young woman who suffers an heinous assault and struggles for justice. McGillis also delivers well, as does Bernie Coulson - the young "Ken" upon whom much of the chances of conviction rest. The graphically violent scenes towards the end of the trial stages are harrowing, disturbing and effective, and they also provide for an unnervingly nauseating performance from the vocal architect of her assault "Scorpion" (Leo Rossi). The drama is tough to watch, and offers food for thought as to just how victims can ever receive fair treatment in a legal environment that all too frequently takes a "was she asking for it?" approach, and is so oft just automatically stacked against them.