Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Parents' Guide to

The Accused

By Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Legal drama has scenes of sexual violence, strong language.

Movie R 1988 111 minutes
The Accused movie poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Based on a real-life trial, this film from 1988 makes an impact not just in the brutality of the crime, but the way in which the victim is treated in the aftermath. In The Accused, Sarah is handled with clinical coldness and suspicion, while behind the scenes, lawyers make decisions based more on tidy outcomes and sure wins than a true concern for justice.

Foster took home an Academy Award for her intense and intimate performance. Sarah is a woman who at first seems powerless, but who then finds strength in her outrage, moving McGillis' practical lawyer into action from the heart instead of the rule book. It's a compelling film with important things to say, particularly back in the '80s when this kind of subject was not often tackled on-screen. That it is still so relevant decades on makes it all the more impactful.

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate