August 31, 1997 -- "Red Corner" is a very well-intentioned movie about a man trying to get justice in a judicial system that wasn't designed for justice at all.

The film stars Richard Gere as Jack Moore, a lawyer who is framed for murder while on an extended business trip to China to negotiate a television contract with the government. Moore's case seems to be hopeless, especially since his court-appointed attorney, Yeulin (Bai Ling), believes him be guilty and insists on a guilty plea.

Not only that, but the woman Moore is accused of killing just happens to be the daughter of a Chinese general with numerous powerful political connections in the Communist party. Given that the deck is stacked against him so heavily, it would seem unlikely that Moore would surrender to Chinese authorities after escaping to the safety of the U.S. embassy, but he does. Why?

The reason Moore abandons the sanctuary of the embassy is because his court-appointed lawyer, Yeulin, has become his best ally. She has become the only person he can depend on. Of course this soon turns into a love story.

Bai Ling does a very good job in her role as the lawyer who is at first skeptical and later convinced of the innocence of her client. She blossoms gloriously from a bystander in life to a true hero. Gere plays his part with the passion of a true zealot on the issue of human rights in China and Tibet, which is. Although the film does require some suspension of disbelief it turns out to be an exceptional love story and a good courtroom drama. It rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 1997 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.