Jodie Foster Movie:

Editorial Review:
Jodie Foster won her first Oscar for her role in this drama, based on an actual incident. She plays a girl out for a night of fun at a poolroom. Before she knows what's happening, the men she's been flirting with have pinned her down for a gang rape. The story centers on the efforts of a district attorney (Kelly McGillis) to press her case, in spite of a wall of silence by the participants--and then to take the unusual step of going after the witnesses as accomplices. Foster is outstanding as a tough, blue-collar woman who persists in what seems like an unwinnable case, despite the prospect of character assassination for standing up for herself. --Marshall Fine

The Accused [Region 2] Reviews:
Excellent film!
2008-07-13 - The Accused is a great drama movie. It will hit a nerve with anyone who watches it. It gives a disturbing view into the American legal system. It will have you from beginning to end! Once again, Jodie Foster gives a great performance!

The Accused
2007-07-09 - Based on a real-life incident, Jonathan Kaplan's hard-hitting drama is an eye-opener, examining a woman's right to exhibit her sexuality, and still not be physically violated against her will. Oscar winner Foster is riveting in a gritty, largely unsympathetic role, and McGillis provides an ideal counterbalance as a somewhat sheltered lawyer whose social conscience gets re-awakened. Absorbing from start to finish, "The Accused" is definitely not for kids or the squeamish.

Good movie teaching about sexual assault, and also very entertaining
2007-05-21 - I use this movie with clients to teach the implications of sexual assault, and the importance of standing up and doing the right thing. Very entertaining, but intense. Not for a G audience

Let's Get Serious Here
2007-05-06 - There are a number of positive facets to "The Accused" such as a challenging legal issue, a crime that is suggested at the beginning but isn't shown until the end, and enough uncertainty about the plot to keep us a bit off guard. However, there are some negative facets as well.

I didn't think that the acting, overall, was all that impressive. For example, there's a witness who expresses concern about assisting in an investigation because some of the people involved are pretty scary. Hollywood does a lot better at making people appear dangerous than what we see in "The Accused". We understand who the bad guys are and we generally get the impression that they deserve whatever they have coming. However, they come across, to me, more stupid than scary. I suspect that the script and casting may have been at fault as much at the actors themselves. Then again, costumes and make-up could have helped as well. The whole cast left me expecting better. Jody Foster won the Best Actress Oscar in a weak year in a role that virtually guaranteed a nomination for whomever got the part. She did alright but, again, costumes and make-up failed in their job. Jody looks a little too well-kept to play the role as I understood it. She looked more like a sorority sister suffering from laziness and bad judgement than a working girl on a dead end path.

To preface my final point, I have to admit that I watched this movie on TV and on a family oriented channel. I assume that the movie I saw was "sanitized" for general audiences. I also note that it is an R-rated movie in its' theatrical release. However, I came away thinking that I had watched a "made for TV" movie. There's just something missing from "The Accused" that makes it seem that no one put too much time and effort into making it. It's a good movie for the reasons that I mentioned above. The legal issue involved was unique and, though it may have its' detractors, the movie makes a good case for it. The way we are kept in suspense as to what to expect next worked well and kept me guessing. What helped even more is not knowing exactly what DID happen until the last 20 minutes or so. It's a good movie but it could have been so much better than it was.

The Accused
2007-04-01 - It is still a good movie to watch and it has passed the test of time. A good storyline and great performance by Kelly Mcglllis and Jodie Foster are the plus point of this great movie. Jodlie's performance earned her an oscar and she deserves it.