The Pelican Brief & Conspiracy Theory (with Morgan Phillips)

Rotten Rewind

We're back in action with a pair of political thrillers starring heavyweight stars of the 90's! That's right, there was a time when Hollywood produced big budget thrillers for adults starring bonafide movie stars! First up, it's Alan J. Pakula's return to the paranoia thriller with 1993's "The Pelican Brief," starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington as a law student and journalist caught up in a conspiracy to assassinate members of the supreme court, who definitely do not fuck at any point. After that, it's Richard Donner's aptly titled "Conspiracy Theory," which finds Julia Roberts falling in love with a paranoid cab driver who stores Tapioca pudding in a pad-locked fridge, played by Mel Gibson at the peak of his career.

Actor and writer Morgan Phillips returns to the podcast to break down the tonally confused madness of "Conspiracy Theory" and the sleepy thrills of "The Pelican Brief." Can the star power of Denzel and Roberts make up for a by-the-numbers script? Did Mel Gibson really improvise a conspiracy about the streets of New York being covered in cum? Why wouldn't Denzel agree to kiss Julia Roberts on screen? Is Stanley Tucci one our most underrated actors? Why didn't Hollywood produce more MKUltra themed rom-coms? Find out right here on the hottest podcast in America.