Normally I would say this is a forgettable legal thriller but I have watched this numerous times over the years and, for reasons unknown to me, I keep coming back. Perhaps, like Vampire Diaries, it's just something I like despite it's flaws. Don't get me wrong, it's not as bad as Vampire Diaries. But it's also not very good either.

My core criticism is that it's simply unbelievable. As you can see from the synopsis, multiple people are hunting down a law student for figuring out the perpetrators behind two assassinations of Supreme Court justices. First, the idea that [spoiler]an oil baron would murder two Supreme Court justices for a _potential_ future case[/spoiler] is questionable enough. However, [spoiler]everyone trying to gun down this law student in broad daylight, setting off car bombs, and _murdering FBI agents_[/spoiler] is just too much. Funnily enough in light of recent political events, the idea of [spoiler]a single news story bringing down a president with indictments following the next day might be even more outlandish.[/spoiler] Then again, this was the 90's. Maybe that's way I like it, because it feels so very 90's and I remember watching it as a kid.

Roberts and Washington give fine performances, the action is mediocre, and the soundtrack sounds like a ripoff of Apollo 13. Nevertheless, I have a soft spot for this one and will likely return to it again in the future. If you like other Grisham adaptations, then you might as well give this one a shot. If not, then maybe don't bother.

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-