The Accused DVD, 1988

Every once in a while there comes along a movie that seems to expand beyond celluloid, burst past the boundaries of what a 'film' is, and captures the viewer with a ir... more >

Every once in a while there comes along a movie that seems to expand beyond celluloid, burst past the boundaries of what a 'film' is, and captures the viewer with a iron-tight grip right around her/his heart and soul. The Accused is such a film. Drawing on both a harrowingly detailed account of the heroine's ordeal and excellent acting by Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis, this film can hardly fail to shake its audience again and again and again, even 15 years after its original release. If you then also keep in mind that Ms McGillis in fact underwent a very similar experience in real life, The Accused becomes almost unbearably gripping, reaching into our soul and daring -or shall I say calling- us to stand up behind tiny waitress Sarah and raise our voices alongside with hers to the one word that will reverberate in the viewer's minds for a long time after the last credits will have faded... NO. < less