True Colors (1991)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer (WGA):

Kevin Wade (written by)

Release Date:

15 March 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Lies. Deceit. Betrayal. It's What Friendship Is All About.

Plot:

Best friends from law school to election night, their friendship is sorely tested when one learns of another's betrayal.

Plot Keywords:

Political | Law School | College | Skiing | Revenge

Cast

John Cusack	...	Peter Burton
James Spader	...	Tim Gerrity
Imogen Stubbs	...	Diana Stiles
Mandy Patinkin	...	John Palmeri
Richard Widmark	...	Sen. James Stiles
Dina Merrill	...	Joan Stiles
Philip Bosco	...	Sen. Frank Steubens
Paul Guilfoyle	...	John Laury
Brad Sullivan	...	FBI Agent Abernathy
Russell Dennis Baker	...	Todd
Don McManus	...	Doug Stubblefield
Karen Jablons-Alexander	...	Store Clerk
Wendee Pratt	...	Janine
Rende Rae Norman	...	Fanne
Frank Hoyt Taylor	...	Sen. Lockerby

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Germany:16 (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:S | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Richard Widmark's last film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the parking garage scene, Peter recognizes the car of a senator from Kentucky by the license plate on the front of his car. Kentucky did not issue front plates at any time in the 1980's or 1990's.

Quotes:

Peter Burton: They say great men are embraced by thousands of strangers. I wanna be great.

Movie Connections:

Features Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962) (TV)

A tight, well-written drama

True Colors is an intelligently plotted drama that never insults your intelligence. John Cusack is excellent as Peter Burton, a man with an amazing knack to manipulate people. James Spader is also excellent as Tim Gerrity, who becomes Burton's best friend. Not a moment of this movie is wasted, nor a single line of dialog. We see Burton advance his political career by hook and by crook. We see Gerrity's idealism tested. And we see how Burton's choices cost him in the end.

The plot would not work if Cusack weren't so convincing. His Burton is so good at talking people into things, he can even talk himself into doing things he knows are wrong, dangerous, or both. While Cusack is at the center, all of the performances are solid; at no point did I focus on the acting instead of the story. The movie grabbed my attention and didn't let go.

I give this drama my highest recommendation.