Se non è uno sconosciuto

Annabeth Gish is one of the truly gifted young actors around and it is a pity she's not that well known. She has a vulnerability to her that is quite captivating and this film is a prime testament to that. I have seen this movie about ten years ago for the first time and it struck a chord with me. It is sensitive,intelligent and very mature in its handling of a difficult subject. It's not one dimensional and it doesn't choose the obvious solutions. It's powerful in a quiet sort of way, and features a strong performance by Paul Dooley as Gish's compassionate father. Gish who came to prominence after Desert Bloom and Mystic Pizza has rarely been given such a good part in the years ahead,which is a great shame. She deserves as much recognition as her Mystic Pizza co star Julia Roberts. Watch this film and I'm sure you'll agree.

This film provides us with a glimpse into how rape victims are really treated. This film is an illustration of what goes on behind the scenes, and how it is the victim that is really put on trial not the guilty. When a sports star commits a crime, he is held above reproach, and those who would dare to "tarnish" their good name are treated like villains instead of the victims they truly are. Schools should keep in mind that it would be far more beneficial for the guilty to be prosecuted than to cover up the crime and risk discovery of the truth and face a litany of legal action.

I saw this back in 1989 when it premiered on TV. It was supposed to premiere around the same time as the World Series but was moved postponed when the San Francisco earthquake happened. It stars the beautiful Annabeth Gish as a young college student named Lyn, who is in love with a college football star Ron. Ron also takes an interest in Lyn, but is dating her best friend. One night, Ron is invites Lyn into his dorm and decides to rape her. When she tries to defend herself, Ron is protected and Lyn is disciplined for drinking. So the next step is court.

This was made around the time the term "date rape" became a buzzword. It was very realistic as it showed how the victim is affected, but the impression it gives to her peers (especially if the accused is the big man on campus), and the families struggle to deal with a one sided system. The ending is unexpected, but it works well. The performances are great all around and you really feel that is was based on a true story, even if the story itself is just a screenplay. It is still a very well written screenplay.

I first heard of this movie when I saw it in the TV Guide, but I never did see it until last night. I've been wanting to see it because I've seen John Terlesky perform on an episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger" and have been wanting to see a movie with him in it. Well, it turned out to be this one. This movie was awesome and it does point out a few things that are true about reality in schools. Terlesky plays an all-star football player who rapes his girlfriend's childhood friend. Well, nobody, except the rape victim's parents, believe her and they don't want to prosecute Ron Cooper (Terlesky) because of his heroism in college football and the popularity that he has brought to the college. The reality of this is, that people who are popular in high school and college, preferably football players, tend to get away with everything and nobody cares what they do just as long as they bring popularity and joy to the schools, which is most definitely wrong. A great movie to watch and to learn from about what life is possibly like when you cross paths with a football player.

I was a little hestitant about this movie, because there are so many ways movies such as these can go wrong. Hardly the case with this absolutely stunning performance. The casting was superb and Annabeth Gish was amazing as Lyn McKenna, the victim of acquaintence rape who took the risk and brought the offender to justice. I've only noticed Annabeth Gish, granted, since her appearance in The X Files over the last year and a half, however since then I've had the pleasure of seeing *several* of her other movies and am amazed at how an actress can be so undervalued. Her work is stunning; she puts so much emotion into her characters and strives to make them one hundred percent believeable. I can't wait to see her upcoming projects! This movie was confronting and inspiring, especially for young women such as myself and my friends - there should be more like it.