The Pelican Brief (PG-13)

American Lawyer-turned-novelist John Grisham has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the field of crime/law fiction. He wrote a staggering 27 novels since his first, “A Time To Kill” in 1989, pounding out such bestsellers as “The Firm,” “The Client,” “Runaway Jury,” and “The Rainmaker.” There’s no doubt Grisham knows how to spin a yarn, though his later efforts failed to have the same unique spirit as his early works.

Enter “The Pelican Brief,” the 1993 actioner based on his novel of the same name published a year earlier. Starring Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, and Sam Shepard, the movie seems less like it was modeled after a book and more like it was simply made for the 90s. With an all-star cast, a killer plot, and scenic locales such as New Orleans’ ‘French Quarter,’ the movie packs all the intrigue, scandal, and ‘whodunit’ action audiences could hope for.

Julia Roberts plays Darby Shaw, a Tulane law student who finds herself in danger when she inadvertently solves the murder of two Supreme Court Justices. She publishes the findings in a semi-serious legal brief, dubbed the “Pelican Brief” by the White House and FBI for its subject matter – it names as a chief culprit a man named Victor Mattiese, a wealthy Oil Tycoon, who is involved in a lengthy legal battle over his right to drill in the natural habitat of the pelicans.

Darby is aided in her accusation by the encouragement of her law professor/boyfriend Thomas Callahan (Sam Shepard, “The Notebook,” “Black Hawk Down”). However, Darby’s belief in the brief’s authenticity is accelerated when Thomas is killed in an explosion and when an FBI officer (John Heard) who requests to meet her is found dead in his hotel room. Thus Darby goes on the lam, trying to find out who is behind the killings while trying to stay alive.

What makes “The Pelican Brief” an enjoyable film lies in both the performances and the pace of the film, which reminds one of detective films such as “Seven” but without the desperation its characters felt. Julia Roberts plays Darby with just the right amount of fear, courage, and innocence to pull off the smart but not-so-lucky law student with ease.

Likewise, Denzel Washington, who plays big-wig reporter Gray Grantham for the Washington Herald, brings charisma and likability to a character that wasn’t as developed in the novel. And it’s no surprise. The early ’90s were practically littered with Denzel’s movies – “Virtuosity,” “Crimson Tide,” “Philadelphia,” and “Devil in a Blue Dress” just to name a few. He plays Grantham easily, has fun with him, and makes him a character we’re happy to see get as much screen time as Roberts during the film.

The set pieces of the film are also rather well done. Locations like Washington, New York, and New Orleans (where the movie begins), add foreboding to the proceedings (such as a chase through Mardi Gras and a protracted seen involving Darby meeting up with a would-be-killer unbeknownst in Washington amidst a busy festival). If nothing else, Grisham’s novels lost readers completely in his world, and Director Alan Pakula (“All the President’s Men” – he is also credited with penning the screenplay for “The Pelican Brief”) does a great job translating this feeling from page to screen.

The suspense of “The Pelican Brief,” as with the reveal at the end, while entertaining, really fails to encapsulate the charm of the film. A slew of John Grisham novels found their way to the screen. “The Rainmaker” was exciting, and “The Chamber,” was riveting. Matthew McCounaghey’s performance of Jake Brigance in “A Time To Kill” will break your heart. However, “The Pelican Brief” was one of the first, paving the way for these later movies to soon come. Do yourself a favor – rent it, Netflix it, grab a bowl of popcorn and relive Denzel and Roberts at their prime, and a time period whose movies’ action and excitement seem to be sorely missing from our modern day and age.

– by Mark Ziobro