| True Believer | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Joseph Ruben |
| Written by | Wesley Strick |
| Produced by | Lawrence Lasker Walter F. Parkes |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John W. Lindley |
| Edited by | George Bowers |
| Music by | Brad Fiedel |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $8.7 million[2] |
True Believer (also released asFighting Justice) is a 1989 Americancourtroom drama directed byJoseph Ruben, written byWesley Strick, and starringJames Woods,Robert Downey Jr.,Yuji Okumoto,Margaret Colin, andKurtwood Smith.
The film is loosely based on an investigative series of articles written byPulitzer Prize-nominated journalistK. W. Lee on the wrongful conviction of immigrantChol Soo Lee for a 1973San Francisco Chinatown gangland murder.[3] The news coverage led to a new trial, eventual acquittal and release of the prisoner fromSan Quentin'sDeath Row. Strick based the character of Eddie Dodd on real-life Bay Area defense attorneyTony Serra.[4]
Eddie Dodd is a burnt-out attorney who has left behind civil rights work to defend drug dealers.[5] Roger Baron is an idealistic young legal clerk, fresh out of law school, who encourages Dodd to take on the case of Shu Kai Kim, a youngKorean man who was imprisoned for a gang-related murder committed inNew York's Chinatown[6] eight years ago, and has now killed a fellow inmate inself-defense. Kim's mother believes her son was wrongfully accused in the gang-related murder.
Dodd and Baron's investigation leads to a conspiracy among District Attorney Reynard, police informant Art Esparza, and police officers Sklaroff, Dennehy and Montell. Dodd gets permission from the judge to put Reynard on the stand. Reynard had been an assistant district attorney leading a major Colombian crime syndicate case, and protected the true murderer – Esparza – by having Sklaroff, Dennehy and Montell frame Kim in order to continue the Colombian case. During Dodd's forceful questioning, Dennehy – who is dying of cancer – enters the court and sits with Dodd's team; Reynard admits the truth of the conspiracy, knowing that Dennehy has clearly revealed the true facts to Dodd. Kim is released from prison.
In addition,Luis Guzmán portrays Ortega, Shu Kai Kim's duplicitous fellow prisoner.
Strick's screenplay was nominated for a 1990Edgar Award for Best Mystery Motion Picture. Film criticRoger Ebert commended Woods's performance for being "hypnotically watchable."[5]
At the time ofTrue Believer's release,K. W. Lee told theCharleston Gazette he enjoyed the film "as fiction...but it was not a true picture. They have completely preempted the struggle of Asians."[7]
True Believer inspired aspin-off television series,Eddie Dodd, starringTreat Williams in the title role.[8]
The film holds a rating of 96% onRotten Tomatoes from 23 reviews.[9]
The film was released on Blu-ray in the United States by Mill Creek Entertainment on August 13, 2019.