The Accused Movie Streaming Service
The Pursuit of Justice.
Drama Canada,United States of America
The Accused is a 1988 legal drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan and starring Jodie Foster, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film.
The story is inspired by the real-life gang rape of Cheryl Araujo in 1983, which occurred in front of a crowd of onlookers in a Massachusetts bar. In the film, the victim is a young woman named Sarah Tobias (played by Foster), who is sexually assaulted by several men while the other patrons at the bar cheer, clap, and encourage the attack.
After reporting the assault to the police, Sarah finds herself ostracized by her community and treated as if she brought the assault on herself. Frustrated by the lack of support from law enforcement and the judicial system, Sarah seeks the help of a prosecutor named Kathryn Murphy (played by Kelly McGillis), who is initially hesitant to take on the case due to the difficulty of proving the guilt of the bystanders.
Despite the challenges, Kathryn works tirelessly to build a case against the perpetrators, including the men who physically assaulted Sarah as well as those who actively encouraged and cheered on the attack. With the help of Sarah's testimony and a recording of the incident made by one of the bystanders, Kathryn is able to secure a conviction for several of the men involved in the assault.
The film explores themes of sexual violence, victim blaming, and the ways in which society and the legal system often fail survivors of assault. It has been praised for its powerful performances, particularly by Foster, whose portrayal of Sarah is both heartbreaking and fiercely determined.
The story is inspired by the real-life gang rape of Cheryl Araujo in 1983, which occurred in front of a crowd of onlookers in a Massachusetts bar. In the film, the victim is a young woman named Sarah Tobias (played by Foster), who is sexually assaulted by several men while the other patrons at the bar cheer, clap, and encourage the attack.
After reporting the assault to the police, Sarah finds herself ostracized by her community and treated as if she brought the assault on herself. Frustrated by the lack of support from law enforcement and the judicial system, Sarah seeks the help of a prosecutor named Kathryn Murphy (played by Kelly McGillis), who is initially hesitant to take on the case due to the difficulty of proving the guilt of the bystanders.
Despite the challenges, Kathryn works tirelessly to build a case against the perpetrators, including the men who physically assaulted Sarah as well as those who actively encouraged and cheered on the attack. With the help of Sarah's testimony and a recording of the incident made by one of the bystanders, Kathryn is able to secure a conviction for several of the men involved in the assault.
The film explores themes of sexual violence, victim blaming, and the ways in which society and the legal system often fail survivors of assault. It has been praised for its powerful performances, particularly by Foster, whose portrayal of Sarah is both heartbreaking and fiercely determined.