70 — Wednesday, November 16, 1988 - North Shore News

JODIE FOSTER (left) gives a dynamic performance in The Accused.

Foster is great but...
movie should be better

The Accused ** ¥% (Paramount)
(at the Capital 6, Eagle Ridge
6, Richport and Guildford
Cinemas) .

THIS IS a tough movie to
call.

Rape victims being violated
again in the courts is powerful
subject matter. So is the area of
a witness's responsibility to
report acrime, as is the un-
fairness of plea bargaining. Ali
of these themes are covered in
The Accused but, despite some
emotionally harrowing scenes,
the effect comes across as
somewhat contrived.

Let’s take the victim, Sarah
Tobias (odie Foster). She’s
street-smart, but not too bright.
She drinks too much, dabbles
in soft drugs, lives with a dealer
in a run-down trailer and thinks
that she’s tough.

One night, after drunkenly
flisting with a couple of guys in
a dingy bar, Sarah is gang-raped
as a cheering crowd watches.

The assistant D.A., Katheryn
Murphy (Kelly McGillis) opts for
a plea bargain because she isn’t
convinced it’s a winnable case.
The charge is reduced to
reckless endangerment, ihe
guilty men are sent to jail but
Sarah is outraged. She wasn’t
allowed to tell her side of the
story in court; she wasn’t even
consulted by her lawyer. Legal-
ly, Sarah wasn’t raped.

Fuelled by guilt and shame,
Katheryn decides to prosecute
the men in the crowd who en-
couraged and perpetuated the

THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER

‘th shore’

SUNDAY - WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY

wees _ Excellent
*e# _ Very Good
“* — Average

* - Poor

rape. Although Sarah can’t
identify them, a witness who
called the police after the

TIM
BELL

film reviewer

assault can. Katheryn’s problem
is to not only locate this
nameless individual, but to
persuade him to testify. If she
can pull it off, Sarah’s rape will
go on record, and justice will
triumph.

The film has some good
points and, in the acting
department, Jodie’s a shoo-in
for an Oscar nomination. Her
performance is moving,
especially in the gripping court-
room scenes. McGillis is no
slouch either, believably
changed from aloof observer to
a supportive friend.

However, several things hurt
the movie. The script constantly
stacks the deck against Sarah. It
also plays fast and loose with
coincidences. For example, the
rapists are picked up with ease,
two of them conveniently
waiting at the scene of the
crime. The movie also has a
shaky time-frame, with Sarah's
facial wounds healing over-

Photo submitted

night. This may be nit-picking,
but all these little things chip
away at a movie's credibility.
Foster's powerhouse perfor-
mance goes a long way to mak-
ing this movie successful but it
should have been better.

She’s Having a Baby ***
(Paramount Home Video)
Rated M

Kevin Bacon stars as ‘‘Jake”’
Briggs, an adman with a vivid
imagination. He is the typical
middle-class newlywed, who
kisses the wife, Kristy (Elizabeth
McGovern) goodbye before
catching the 8:15 to the city.
He is juggling the mortgage, in-
trusive in-laws, an irresponsible
friend and boredom. Just when
he thinks he has a grip on mat-
urity, Kristy tells him she’s beer
off the pill for three months.

What makes this John
Hughes film enjoyable are the
Walter Mitty-type fantasies Jake
experiences, including his
lawn-mowing neighbors sud-
denly breaking into a snappy
dance routine. The film has a
few serious moments but the
predominant tone is whimsical
Bacon’s deadpan reactions and
wry narration make this
amiable comedy a winner.

NORTH SHORE VIEWS
West Van Odeon: Mystic Piz-
za, Madame Sousatzka, Split
Decisions.

Park Royal: A Fish Called
Wanda, Whe Framed Roger
Rabbit, tron Eagle It.

What are the issues and who are the candidates?
Make your election choice an informed choice ...

WATCH NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL CANDIDATES
NOVEMBER 16, 7:00 - 10:30 p.m.

Winning books sought

SUBMISSIONS ARE now being
sought for the 1989 B.C. Book
Prizes.

the understanding and enjoyment
of British Columbia; the Ethel
Wilson Fiction prize, to the best
work of a fiction writer who has
lived in B.C. for three of the last

Prizes of $1,000 will be award-
five years; and the Hubert Evans

ed in each of six categories in
Vancouver this April. The Non-Fiction prize, for the best
deadline for submissions is Jan. 6, non-fiction.
1989. Other categories include the
The B.C. Book Prizes Society B.C. Book Prize for Poetry, the
has awarded writers and Sheila A. Egoff Children’s prize,
publishers each fall since 1985 for and the Bill Duthie Booksellers’
work in the following categories: Choice.
The Roderick Haig-Brown For more information call The
Regional prize, awarded to the West Coast Book Prize Society at
author who best contributes to 734-1611.

PRESENTS,

IMARTHA
GRAHAM

DANCE COMPANY

MARTHA GHATIAM, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

ALLET BRITISH COLUMBIA'S DanceAfive! 1988/89!

Pragramnies —

THURS. — Night Chant

NOV.17 Letter to the World
Deep Song
Temptations of the Moon

Seraphie Dialogue
Deep Song

Circe

Appalachian Spring
E! Penitente
Phaedra
Appalachian Spring

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE
* Tickets: $13./$17./$25,/$29.
{$2.00 off students & Seniors)

Plus Service Charges.
AUVTC/Ticket Master outlets, Eaton’s and
Woodward's. Call 280-3311

FRI. —
NOV. 18

SAT. —
NOV. 19

Martha Graham Dance Company Touring
Impresario: Marlo Labbe in association with
John Criptan.

HAR TJIOANG

BANYAN EB ZAIAXYZ 1 Vi
ON *® BURNABY ¢ MOUNTAIN

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