Product Details

• Actors: Kelly McGillis, Jodie Foster, Bernie Coulson, Leo Rossi, Ann Hearn
• Directors: Jonathan Kaplan
• Writers: Tom Topor
• Producers: Jack Roe, Sherry Lansing, Stanley R. Jaffe
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: April 16, 2002
• Run Time: 111 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005Y1UT
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,298 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "The Accused" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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

Product Description

A LAWYER CRUSADES FOR HER CLIENT, VICTIM OF A BARROOM GANG RAPE. BEST ACTRESS OSCAR FOR FOSTER.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Performance by Jodie Foster, July 21, 2002

By	Lillian Patterson "Post-Postmodern Angster" (Big Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Accused (1988) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This film is pretty much a run of the mill made for TV flick up until the startling, graphic rape scene. However this distinction must be made. First, TV movies just weren't made about this subject until after this film came out--it opened many doors, and for that it should be applauded. Second, Jodie Foster gives an excellent performance and provides an unflinching look at how rape can ruin a victim's life.
Also, this film deserves credit for portraying the victim as a strong willed character who is far from perfect-and it sends the message that flirting with someone does NOT mean that you deserve to be raped. And I applaud the fact that this film doesn't take the extreme view (hello Lifetime channel) that all men are pigs who either enjoy victimizing women or don't see anything REALLY wrong with doing so. On the contrary, this film has many likeable male characters (even one who helps the victim with her case, despite the fact that one of his friends raped her).

Though it's not perfect, there are many redeeming qualities to this ground breaking film.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unforgettable Learning Experience, March 13, 2004

By	David Anderson (St. Cloud, MN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis star in the unforgettable 1988 film "The Accused". Its plot of a young woman, Sarah, getting raped and struggling to get past it is emotional through every second. Its hardhitting scenes, namely the rape scene, hold enough power to hit audiences' hearts like nothing else. Such events express truth in the court system about rape cases. It teaches audiences that it's difficult to convict rapists, even with a lot of evidence. The emotional stance of the film is true. The trauma and fears during and after is expressed to the fullest. Every struggle keeps audiences interested in every event, leading to a surprising conclusion. Its certain graphic scenes were necessary to film to show the issue's depth. The details prove that the writers researched rape to its fullest, which deserves them tremendous respect.

Jodie Foster's Oscar winning role (Best Actress) as Sarah is one of her career bests. She performs with every drop of heart and soul that adds to the film's powerful message. Kelly McGillis's role as Sarah's determined lawyer is wonderful. However, she was wrongfully overlooked by the Oscars for Best Actress. As a real-life rape victim, she used her own life experiences as influence for her performance quality. It resulted highly powerful. All other actors, major or minor, also performed their roles wonderfully.

"The Accused" is a great film for everyone to watch. This is sure to touch many viewers for a long time. Afterwards, keep the film playing for a few more seconds after it ends. The rape statistics shown are interesting, yet shocking.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When no means no., April 21, 2006

By	ADRIENNE MILLER (TENNESSEE) - See all my reviews

The Accused is a excellent movie about how a woman is treated after being raped. Kelly McGillis and Jodie Foster make a great team. Foster plays a gang-raped survivor looking for justice in hyprocritical world where men are not held responsible for their actions. Foster received a well-deserved Oscar as her fearless performance of Sarah. There is a graphic rape scene towards the closing of the film that is to be expected since the main theme of this film is about the outcomes of a terrible and vicious rape. Unfortanely, females are still considered "damaged goods" when something this hineous occurs. McGillis's character seeks justice from the men who raped her in a downtown bar and even goes after the men who watched and cheered on the rape and did nothing to stop it. A powerful and superb film all around. This film will force you to see the truth and make you want to change the legal system. Not recommend for younger viewers.