Movie

The Pelican Brief

“Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. One lone law student has stumbled upon the truth. An investigative journalist wants her story. Everybody else wants her dead.”

★ 6.6(1,773)19932h 21m

Thriller Crime Drama

▶ Watch trailer IMDb

The Pelican Brief is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home and Spectrum On Demand in United States. It isn't on a subscription streaming service there yet. Availability checked 9 June 2026.

Where to watch The Pelican Brief

🇺🇸 United States

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Good to know

Director: Alan J. Pakula
Release date: 1993-09-17
Runtime: 2h 21m
Language: English
Box office: $195,268,056
Budget: $45,000,000
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Pelican Brief — trailer

About The Pelican Brief

The Pelican Brief is a 1993 movie in the Thriller, Crime and Drama genres, directed by Alan J. Pakula, starring Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington and Sam Shepard. It has a runtime of 2 hours 21 minutes. It holds an average rating of 6.6/10 from 1,773 viewers. Below you can see where to watch The Pelican Brief in United States — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

Synopsis

A law student's theory about the recent deaths of two Supreme Court justices embroils her in a far-reaching web of murder, corruption, and greed.

Cast

Julia Roberts

Darby Shaw

Denzel Washington

Gray Grantham

Sam Shepard

Thomas Callahan

John Heard

Gavin Vereek

Tony Goldwyn

Fletcher Coal

James B. Sikking

Denton Voyles

William Atherton

Bob Gminski

Robert Culp

The President

Stanley Tucci

Khamel

Hume Cronyn

Justice Rosenberg

John Lithgow

Smith Keen

Anthony Heald

Marty Velmano

Themes & keywords

based on novel or bookjudgeprofessormission of murdersupreme courtlegal thrillerdramaticsuspenseful

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch The Pelican Brief in United States?+

In United States, The Pelican Brief is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home and Spectrum On Demand. It isn't on a subscription streaming service there right now.

Is The Pelican Brief on Netflix?+

The Pelican Brief is not on Netflix in United States right now.

How long is The Pelican Brief?+

The Pelican Brief has a runtime of 2 hours 21 minutes (141 minutes).

Who stars in The Pelican Brief?+

The Pelican Brief stars Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, John Heard and Tony Goldwyn.

When did The Pelican Brief come out?+

The Pelican Brief is a 1993 movie directed by Alan J. Pakula.

What genre is The Pelican Brief?+

The Pelican Brief is Thriller, Crime and Drama film.

Who directed The Pelican Brief?+

The Pelican Brief was directed by Alan J. Pakula.