The Accused (1988)

Excellent film!

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! July 13, 2008

Jodie Foster in TV's Paper Moon - #77

NIELSEN RATINGS 1974 1975 TV SEASON

Here are the season average Nielsen ratings for the 1974-75 television season.
Only series are included in the ratings.
The number preceding the series name is the series ranking.
The network carrying the series is in parenthesis, and the average rating follows.

1. All in the Family (CBS) 30.2
2. Sanford and Son (NBC) 29.8
3. Chico and the Man (NBC) 28.6
4. The Jeffersons (CBS) 27.6
5. MASH (CBS) 27.2
6. Rhoda (CBS) 25.9
7. The Waltons (CBS) 25.7
8. Good Times (CBS) 25.6
9. Maude (CBS) 24.8
10. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) 24.6
I I . Mary Tyler Moore (CBS) 24.0
12. Rockford Files (NBC) 23.8
13. Kojak (CBS) 23.5
14. Little House on the Prairie (NBC) 23.1
15. Police Woman (NBC) 22.9
16. SWAT (ABC) 22.6
17. Bob Newhart (CBS) 22.5
18. World of Disney (NBC) 22.2
19. Mannix (CBS) 21.7
20. Cannon (CBS)
-The Rookies (ABC)
-Sunday Mystery Movie (NBC) each 21.5
23. Streets of San Francisco (ABC)
-Cher (CBS) each 21.3
25. Paul Sand (CBS) 20.9
26. Gunsmoke
-Medical Center (both CBS) 20.7
28. Adams of Eagle Lake (ABC) 20.6
29. Carol Burnett (CBS) 20.5
30. Tony Orlando and Dawn (CBS) 20.3
31. Emergency (NBC) 20.2
32. NFL Football (ABC) 19.8
33. Barnaby Jones (CBS) 19.6
34. ABC Sunday Movie 19.1
35. NBC Monday Movie 19.0
36. Caribe (ABC) 18.9
37. NBC Saturday Movie 18.8
38. Wesnesday Movie of the Week (ABC) 18.7
39. Mac Davis (NBC)
- CBS Thursday Movie, each 18.5
41. Smothers Brothers (NBC)
-That's My Mama (ABC) each 18.3
43. World Premiere Movie (NBC) 18.0
44. The Manhunter (CBS)
-Harry 0 (ABC) each 17.8
46. Apple's Way (CBS) 17.7
47. Tuesday Movie of the Week (ABC) 17.6
48. Petrocelli (NBC)
-Happy Days (ABC) each 17.5
50. Lucas Tanner (NBC) 17.4
51. Six Million Dollar Man (ABC)
-Movin' On (NBC) each 17.1
53. Marcus Welby (ABC) 16.6
54. CBS Friday Movie 16.2
55. We'll Get By (CBS) 16.1
56. Adam-12 (NBC) 15.9
57 The Law (NBC) 15.8
58. ABC Monday Movie 15.7
59. Born Free (NBC) 15.6
60. Sons and Daughters
- Dan August (both CBS) 15.2
62. Archer (NBC)
- Baretta (ABC) each 15.1
64. Sunshine (NBC) 15.0
65. Bob Crane (NBC) 14.9
66. ABC Saturday Movie
- Planet of the Apes (CBS) each 14.8
68. Hot l Baltimore (ABC)
- Barney Miller (ABC)
- Ironside (NBC), each 14.7
71. Karen (ABC) 14.5
72. Get Christie Love (ABC) 14.3
73. Sierra (NBC) 14.1
74. Kolchak (ABC) 13.6
75. Sonny Comedy Revue (ABC) 13.2
76. Odd Couple (ABC) 13.1
77. Paper Moon (ABC) 12.5
78. Nakia (ABC) 11.9
79. Friday Comedy Special (CBS) 11.2
80. Khan (CBS) 11.1
81. Texas-Wheelers (ABC) 11.0
82. Kung Fu
- Kodiak (both ABC) each 9.9
84. The New Land (ABC) 7.9 April 2, 2008

The Accused

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. July 9, 2007

Good movie teaching about sexual assault, and also very entertaining

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 May 21, 2007

Let's Get Serious Here

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. May 6, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...