Rent The Accused (1988)

One of Jodie Foster’s best performances. An incredible, searing & unforgettable portrait of courage - The Accused review by TB

When you watch this film, you have to remember that, if it had not been a success, Jodie Foster was going to quit acting. There would have been no Silence of the Lambs, no Brave One and no Panic Room. What an unbelievable loss that would have been. I cannot decide between this and Silence of the Lambs as to which is her best performance. 

But as much as Foster was the central draw, not for a second can Kelly McGillis be sidelined. As a rape survivor herself, this story became a personal passion project for her, a chance to produce something that victims would be able to associate with. As producer and actor, her burning anger at the injustice done to Foster’s Sarah Tobias is seared into every frame. 

The story of Tobias, a fiercely independent, free-spirited woman who in the opening shots we see running for her life from a bar, is completely captivating. Written off by the justice system and onlookers as “not a credible witness,”  “Asking for it” and “Putting on a sex show,” she refuses to be silenced and teams up with McGillis’s attorney after a whitewash and sham deal to let off the actual rapists, going after the men who encouraged and didn’t stop the assault. 

The character building of Tobias is perfection, making you challenge your views and feelings towards her. And nowhere is this more prominent than the horrific rape scene. This was the first time this sort of scene was shown uncut on film. And its impact is devastating. You find yourself almost screaming at the screen, wanting someone, anyone to step in and stop this genocidal behaviour. But no one does. And that is what this film does best. It takes an issue which so many people see written in newspapers and puts it front and centre.

This film is a masterpiece. And Jodie Foster as its lead elevates it into the pantheon of greatest performances ever