The Accused poster

1988·111 min·Released

The Accused

“The first scream was for help. The second is for justice.”

Crime
Drama

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.

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Videos

The Accused - Trailer

Cast & Crew

Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster

Sarah Tobias

Kelly McGillis

Kelly McGillis

Kathryn Murphy

Bernie Coulson

Bernie Coulson

Ken Joyce

Leo Rossi

Leo Rossi

Cliff 'Scorpion' Albrect

Ann Hearn

Ann Hearn

Sally Fraser

Carmen Argenziano

Carmen Argenziano

D.A. Paul Rudolph

Steve Antin

Steve Antin

Bob Joiner

Tom O'Brien

Tom O'Brien

Larry

Peter Van Norden

Peter Van Norden

Attorney Paulsen

Terry David Mulligan

Terry David Mulligan

Lieutenant Duncan

Woody Brown

Woody Brown

Danny

Scott Paulin

Scott Paulin

Attorney Wainwright

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CinemaSerf

Written on 6/30/2022

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.

Media

The Accused - Trailer

The Accused - Trailer

The Accused 1988 TV trailer

The Accused 1988 TV trailer