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True believer (1989)

post #1 of 5
4/8/10 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
"What a vivid imagination.."

"You don't believe me, Dr. Jones? You will become a true believer.. Mwa Hahahahahhaha"
I'm going to open with that quote, just cause I'm in the mood for silliness right now. I'm having a bit of a lazy Thursday



Anyway,

I watched this last night. I got it out mostly because of the cast but also because of it's message. Social justice and police corruption are important topics, and I was more than happy to see a film that promised me a griping tale of racial inequality featuring a young Robert Downey Jr as a Joshua Molina-ish Sorkin-esque kind of character .


The film kept me entertained, but it was a bit ham handed and over eager. Some of the depiction of the aryan gangs and what have you seem positively quaint in a post WIRE world.*

All the same though Woods chewed through scenery like he had just ended a hunger strike and Downey Jr was charming if a bit of a underwhelming (I think he's definitely gotten more attract--er, I mean, talented, as he's aged). I was pleasantly surprised to see the late great** Kurtwood Smith as the evil DA. The court scenes with him and Mr Woods were great fun, and in the end, justice came out on top. Not a bad way to spend two hours, IMHO

Has anyone else seen this one?

PS Wood's comes off as even more reptillian and sleazy than usual, what with his greasy dreadlocks/pony tail.

PPS I love how it's the 80s so everyone has to frown on Mr Woods smoking pot. I was cracking up at how Downey Jr waves the smoke out of his face as if he's extremely offended by the scent of dirty hippy weed.


*plus, I thought tear drop tattoos were a latino gang thing!
**I have not seen him in a movie or show since T70sS went off the air. Hope he is ok!!
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post #2 of 5
4/8/10 at 5:52pm
The score for this movie stuck in my head for two decades. No idea why.
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post #3 of 5
4/8/10 at 11:10pm
Kurtwood Smith was in the short lived CBS sitcom Worst Week, which was sort of a riff on Meet the Parents, with Smith playing a gruff father (the devil you say!) of an expectant mother, all the while her boyfriend is trying to win over the family, especially Smith. Hijinx followed. It was actually a pretty funny show.

Anyway, was always a fan of TRUE BELIEVER. I was about to come in here and praise the work of director Joseph Ruben, but looking over the resume, he answered the run of DREAMSCAPE, THE STEPFATHER and TRUE BELIEVER with the TKO of SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, THE GOOD SON and THE MONEY TRAIN.

I also apparently confuse Ruben with Jonathan Kaplan, because I would have sworn my life on Ruben doing UNLAWFUL ENTRY. But Ruben was never cool enough to do TRUCK TURNER or THE SLAMS, among others. Advantage Kaplan.

Yeah, True Believer. A great James Woods showcase. Perhaps his most likable character? Maybe a misuse of likable there, because I really mean maybe his most nobile character, given his history of fucked up masochists.

There was a TV series based on the flick called Eddie Dodd, starring Treat Williams, in 1991. I think it only lasted a few weeks.
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post #4 of 5
4/10/10 at 9:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
There was a TV series based on the flick called Eddie Dodd, starring Treat Williams, in 1991. I think it only lasted a few weeks.
I wanted to point this out too. This is the part that baffles me. I actually saw that show and it was okay. Very much in the vein of all those courtroom shows that became popular a few years later. But I didn't think the movie had been popular enough to spawn a TV show.

The thing is, James Woods makes the movie. And Treat Williams, game as he is, can't really compare.

It's true that Joseph Rueben went on to do shitty movies in the 90s. But even in something subpar, like The Forgotten, you still remember he has a knack for handling suspense and shock. He's actually very good at the unexpected pounce. But I don't get why he didn't pick better scripts.
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post #5 of 5
4/10/10 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 
That info is fascinating, Keith F. Thanks for sharing. While I was alive in the early 90s, I was not yet watching court room dramas. This accounts for the fact that I have no memory of the TRUE BELIEVER program you mention

PS Phil,

Strangely I have *no* memory of the score and if you'd asked me I might have even guessed the film was unscored. How curious! I'll have to go back and take a closer listen some time.
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