Themes: Single Parents, One Against the Mob, Woman In Jeopardy
Main Cast: Joanne Whalley, Armand Assante, Gabriel Byrne, William Hurt, Kathleen Quinlan
Release Year: 1994
Country: US
Run Time: 92 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Joanne Whalley-Kilmer stars as a woman corrupted by the criminal justice system in this courtroom suspense thriller. She plays a civil servant named Valerie Alston, a single mother living in New York City, who gets placed on a jury trying the case of mob boss Rusty Pirone (Armand Assante). A former homicide detective gone bad, Tommy Vesey (William Hurt), is now working for Pirone. He kidnaps Valerie and threatens her and her son with more harm if she votes to convict Pirone. At the trial, District Attorney Daniel Graham (Gabriel Byrne) proves himself to be willing and able to stoop to unethical means to convict Pirone. In the jury room, Valerie skillfully exploits factions among the jurors in order to win an acquittal. Now cynical and corrupt herself, Valerie seduces mob boss Pirone to extract her own rewards for her service. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Ed Lauter - John Boyle; Margaret Whitton - Jane Lyle; Richard Portnow - Leo Greco; Joe Santos - Johnny Verona; Stuart Whitman - Emmett; Lisa Anderson - Eleanor Lyons; John Capodice - Limpy Demarco; Gene Dinovi - Pianist; William Duell - Jimmy; David Eisner - Melman; Jack Gwaltney - Teddy; Kay Hawtry - Clara; Graham Jarvis - Mr Duffy; Gene Mack - House Detective; Andrew Miller - Krasny; William R. Moses - Paul Baker; Sandi Ross - Court Officer; Andrew Sabiston - Elliot; Paul Soles - Mr Kriegsberg; Beau Starr - Phillie; Mike Starr - Hughie Bonner; Scott Wickware - Cop; David Cronenberg - Director; Elena Kudaba - Elena; Richard Fitzpatrick - Balsam; Stan Coles - Detective Gray
Credit
Barbara Matis - Art Director, Albert M. Shapiro - Associate Producer, Heidi Levitt - Casting, Mary Malin - Costume Designer, Albert M. Shapiro - First Assistant Director, Heywood Gould - Director, Joel Goodman - Editor, Gary Barber - Executive Producer, Terence Blanchard - Composer (Music Score), Bill Daly - Musical Direction/Supervision, David Chapman - Production Designer, Frederick Elmes - Cinematographer, Mark Gordon - Producer, Michael MacDonald - Producer, James G. Robinson - Producer, Christopher Meledandri - Producer, Steve Shewchuk - Set Designer, Bill Daly - Sound/Sound Designer, Heywood Gould - Screenwriter, Jordan Katz - Screenwriter
Crime boss Rusty Pirone is about to stand trial again and Daniel Graham of the district attorney's office is determined this time to put him behind bars.
Pirone sends one of his henchmen, a burned-out ex-cop named Tommy Vesey, to threaten Valerie Alston, a juror. Unless she cooperates by finding Pirone innocent and deadlocking the jury, Vesey intends to do harm to Valerie's young son.
Eleven jurors vote guilty. Valerie incurs the wrath of the others, who feel Pirone's guilt is obvious. One by one, though, she begins to persuade others to vote her way.
Pirone goes free. Graham is furious and, when he discovers Valerie's role in the verdict, he begins to pressure her. Valerie is adamant that she has done nothing wrong and feels that she has protected her son, but Pirone won't leave it at that. He forces himself sexually on her and continues to make veiled threats against her life.
Vesey's conscience gets the better of him and he intervenes in an attempt by Pirone's jealous woman, Wanda, to have Valerie killed. Vesey dies in the act of saving Valerie's life.
With nowhere else to turn, Valerie decides to seduce Pirone at his home, then kill him herself.
