True Believer (1989)

Director:

Joseph Ruben

Writer (WGA):

Wesley Strick (written by)

Release Date:

17 February 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Tagline:

When evidence leads to murder, sometimes it takes a dangerous man to free an innocent one.

Plot:

Eddie Dodd is a burnt out former civil rights lawyer who now specializes in defending drug dealers. Roger Baron...

Plot Keywords:

Law | Police | Corruption | Prison Gang | Prison

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

James Woods	...	Eddie Dodd
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Roger Baron
Margaret Colin	...	Kitty Greer
Yuji Okumoto	...	Shu Kai Kim
Kurtwood Smith	...	Robert Reynard
Tom Bower	...	Cecil Skell
Miguel Fernandes	...	Art Esparza
Charles Hallahan	...	Vincent Dennehy
Sully Diaz	...	Maraquilla Esparza
Misan Kim	...	Mrs. Kim
John Snyder	...	Chuckie Loeder
Luis Guzmán	...	Ortega (as Luis Guzman)
Graham Beckel	...	Sklaroff
Tony Haney	...	Montell
Joel Polis	...	Dean Rabin

Also Known As:

Fighting Justice (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

105 min | USA:108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (f)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The character of Eddie Dodd was modeled after famed civil rights lawyer Tony Serra.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the prison knife fight, Kim stabs the Nazi in the chest. The knife then alternates between still being in the Nazi's chest to being (correctly) taped to Kim's hand.

Quotes:

Robert Reynard: Well, let's not drag the constitution into this.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Homer and Apu (#5.13)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

All Along The Watchtower

Taut action supersedes continuity troubles

Eminently watchable drama from 1989 with Woods as burned-out lawyer Eddie Dodd, formerly idealistic & successful civil liberties attorney who's now a callous defender of drug dealers ("No, pot possession cases are free. Coke dealers pay cash: that subsidizes the pot possession cases." Character reputably based on real-life S.F. lawyer J. Tony Serra; hence the long hair), & Rbt. Downey, Jr., as his idealistic law clerk, fresh out of school. (Downey, Jr.'s, @first incredulous: "You were my age when you defended that case," to which Dodd retorts, "I was never your age.")

There're a few continuity problems here, mainly which fingers the charcoal is on after Dodd's tussle with Chuckie, but they're pretty much overshadowed by some great sub-plots (Manhattan D.A.'s [Kurtwood "70s Show" Smith] curious interest in an 8-year-old murder case, Dodd's faded romance with P.I. Margaret Colin, the sadly schizoid Vietnam vet ["Cecil, are you what heroes are made of?"]) & the main story line, the case of a convicted murderer. Dodd @first dismisses Downey, Jr.'s, suggestion that they take the case but later becomes so emotionally immersed in it that when Roger (Downey, Jr.) spins the futility here with "We all think it's a good fight," Eddie pounces on him with some memorable oratory: "Don't give that liberal, yuppie b***s**t about a good fight; this isn't f*****g Yale! A good fight is one you win!"

Directed by Joseph Ruben, with a nice, incidental orig. score by Brad Fidel & some slick ambient tunes (Doors's Crystal Ship, Lou Reed's Busload of Faith).