Just Cause

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Just Cause

R

1995

1h 42m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

26%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Paul Armstrong (Sean Connery), a law professor who staunchly fights the death penalty, is lured into defending a death row inmate, Bobby Earl Ferguson (Blair Underwood), convicted of rape and murder. Ferguson is there due to a coerced confession at the hands of a snarling local sheriff (Laurence Fishburne). Armstrong starts to suspect that a psychotic serial killer (Ed Harris) may be the real culprit. But the deeper Armstrong gets, the more he realizes he doesn't know who's innocent at all.

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Critics Consensus

Just Cause you round up a phenomenal cast, that doesn't mean you have everything you need for a solid legal thriller -- and this film is forgettable proof.

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Mick LaSalle

San Francisco Chronicle

In Connery it has a hero who is inescapably appealing.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 18, 2002

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Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Despite its merits, the script fails to escape the silly season that fouls up so many thrillers, that time when the twists merely seem like the narrative equivalents of those violin shrieks on a cheesy score.

Apr 12, 2002

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Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Times

It doesn't bog down in the bogs, but it's slow-moving just about everyplace else.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 13, 2001

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

This has one of cinema's most ridiculously overwrought car chase relative to its general plot and pacing. It also has Ed Harris extracting every nutrient from this 100-calorie snack pack, which is entertaining unto itself.

Rated: 2.5/5

Nov 12, 2025

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Paced like a courtroom drama, with a devious plot featuring an above-standard presentation of hunting for clues, uncovering conspiracies, and interrogating witnesses.

Rated: 7/10

Sep 14, 2020

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Ed Travis

Hollywood Jesus

It'd be easy to just pop Just Cause in and enjoy it as a brisk thriller. But there are so many better thrillers out there to engage your adrenaline and your brain.

Mar 31, 2020

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Christopher D

This is a good film. Wouldn't call it amazing or groundbreaking but it was compelling and I didn't predict the outcome. I had a couple of issues with the outcome in that it seems like it's validating certain characters' actions, but it still worked well. Typical Hollywood ending, one of the reasons why the critics hate it, but at the end of the day, those endings exist because viewers want them.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/12/25

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Baxmeuste V

I think this is a very good movie. It would have been even better for its time. It’s also nice to see many of the actors play contrasting roles for a change. Great twists and drama. A must see for suspense drama enthusiasts. I would say more, but I wouldn’t want to spoil the plot. five stars.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/03/25

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Daniel N

No bad. Kinda slow so had to watch in a couple sittings. Interesting twist at the end.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/30/25

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Marie L

WIth a cast like this one, this film should have been a knockout. It's not. Sean Connery is walking through his role, but even his worst is better than most actors' best. The rest of the cast do their best, but in this case, their best just wasn't good enough to overcome a tangled plot and thin production values. I kept feeling sorry for the actors, even Harris, who gives a high-octane performance akin to Hopkins' Hannibal Lector. They deserved a much better screenplay. It's worth a look, though, if just to see talented performers in a moss-dripping bayou struggle their way through a web of red herrings.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

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sri u

Bagus filmnya, wajib ditonton sih ini

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/27/25

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Ian J

Not a bad film. Sean Connery shines. The ending seems unnecessary. Could have ended with the court room and would be a good film. Adding another 30 minutes for a rope-a-dope puts the film down half a star for me.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

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Arne Glimcher

Director

Sean Connery

Paul Armstrong

Laurence Fishburne

Sheriff Tanny Brown

Kate Capshaw

Laurie Prentiss Armstrong

Blair Underwood

Bobby Earl

Ed Harris

Blair Sullivan

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Synopsis

Paul Armstrong (Sean Connery), a law professor who staunchly fights the death penalty, is lured into defending a death row inmate, Bobby Earl Ferguson (Blair Underwood), convicted of rape and murder. Ferguson is there due to a coerced confession at the hands of a snarling local sheriff (Laurence Fishburne). Armstrong starts to suspect that a psychotic serial killer (Ed Harris) may be the real culprit. But the deeper Armstrong gets, the more he realizes he doesn't know who's innocent at all.

Director: Arne Glimcher
Producer: Lee Rich, Arne Glimcher, Steve Perry
Production Co: Warner Bros.
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $35.7M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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