This 1993 crime thriller, directed by Alan J. Pakula and adapted from a novel by John Grisham, pairs Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington in a story centered on a law student’s investigation into the deaths of two supreme court justices. She discusses her findings with a professor (Sam Shepard), who passes them along to an FBI contact, setting off a chain reaction as people begin to die. Denzel Washington portrays a Washington DC journalist who joins forces with the student, while Robert Culp takes on the role of the president. Although I found “The Firm,” another Grisham adaptation from the same year, more appealing, this film follows a similar formula—just with a different plot. "Pelican Brief" incorporates more action sequences, but in my opinion, the story and characters aren’t quite as captivating. Nevertheless, those who enjoyed one are likely to find something to appreciate in the other. The movie has a running time of 2 hours and 21 minutes and was filmed in New Orleans, Washington DC, and Maryland. The supporting cast includes John Heard as an FBI agent, Stanley Tucci as a hitman, and John Lithgow as an editor. I’d give it a grade of B/B-.

Source on TMDB