A grieving family whose daughter was killed in a car crash with a drunken driver is outraged and frustrated as they encounter the inevitable bureaucratic delays in bringing the case to trial... Read allA grieving family whose daughter was killed in a car crash with a drunken driver is outraged and frustrated as they encounter the inevitable bureaucratic delays in bringing the case to trial. Once in the courtroom, they are horror-stricken as the young, hard-pressed district atto... Read allA grieving family whose daughter was killed in a car crash with a drunken driver is outraged and frustrated as they encounter the inevitable bureaucratic delays in bringing the case to trial. Once in the courtroom, they are horror-stricken as the young, hard-pressed district attorney seems unable to overcome the technicalities and maneuverings that the driver's attorn... Read all
- Campbell
- (as Joe Rainer)
- Director
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Featured reviews
I think we all know it's a crime. Irresponsible to operate a vehicle while intoxicated, but people still do it regardless. Parents lose a daughter in this tale and there's no grey area. No unavoidable tragedy. The offender is a lush. Drunk behind the wheel in the early afternoon and portrayed as semi-wealthy and a snob.
James Farentino is effective as the father on the verge of obsession seeking justice as is Don Murray good as the drunk who doesn't think he did anything wrong. Denzel is fine, but Donald Moffat (The Thing, Clear & Present Danger) is particularly effective as the defense attorney who serves his client well but the kind you love to hate.
It's not unmanageable to watch, but it strictly goes thru the numbers. If you didn't know what you were getting into before well you do now. Don't tune in for a early role for the future star alone.
But despite what the cover promises, you end up with a badly dubbed (at least German version) below standard lawyer TV film without any surprises or tension. Denzel Washington appears for just a few scenes, playing a overburdened attorney without the possibility to show his brilliancy as actor and the rest of the cast is acting uninspired either.
Granted, for a 80s TV film, it might not be that bad, and without the feeling of being cheated to buy it, but watching it on TV on a very boring day, the rating would be a 3 out of 10. Given the circumstances, this shameless attempt to get another buck out of a low budget production deserves the worst rating of all.
These people ripped me off.
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough Denzel Washington was used to promote the home-video version of this TV movie after he became a star, his role in the film is limited.
- Alternate versionsPan and scanned to 1.78:1 aspect ratio in some DVD releases.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Cubby Broccoli: The Man Behind Bond (2000)
- SoundtracksTime in a Bottle
Written and Performed by Jim Croce
Produced by Terry Cashman and Tommy West
Courtesy of Lifesong Records