On this day, February 17, 1989, True Believer premiered in theaters. Directed by Joseph Ruben, the legal thriller starred James Woods as a jaded civil rights lawyer and Robert Downey Jr. as his idealistic young assistant, tackling a wrongful conviction case with life-or-death stakes.
The film followed Eddie Dodd (Woods), a once-prominent activist lawyer who has grown cynical and now defends drug dealers. When Roger Baron (Downey Jr.), his ambitious new associate, convinces him to take on the case of a young Korean-American man (Yuji Okumoto) wrongfully imprisoned for murder, Dodd rediscovers his passion for justice. As they dig deeper, they uncover a tangled web of corruption and police misconduct.
With its sharp courtroom drama and strong performances, True Believer earned critical praise, though it performed modestly at the box office with an $8.7 million gross. The film’s success helped boost Robert Downey Jr.’s early career, paving the way for his rise in Hollywood.
Fun fact: James Woods’ portrayal of Eddie Dodd was loosely inspired by real-life attorney Tony Serra, known for his civil rights work and unconventional courtroom tactics.
Trivia question: What 1993 legal thriller also starred Robert Downey Jr. as a lawyer dealing with a complex murder case?
The film followed Eddie Dodd (Woods), a once-prominent activist lawyer who has grown cynical and now defends drug dealers. When Roger Baron (Downey Jr.), his ambitious new associate, convinces him to take on the case of a young Korean-American man (Yuji Okumoto) wrongfully imprisoned for murder, Dodd rediscovers his passion for justice. As they dig deeper, they uncover a tangled web of corruption and police misconduct.
With its sharp courtroom drama and strong performances, True Believer earned critical praise, though it performed modestly at the box office with an $8.7 million gross. The film’s success helped boost Robert Downey Jr.’s early career, paving the way for his rise in Hollywood.
Fun fact: James Woods’ portrayal of Eddie Dodd was loosely inspired by real-life attorney Tony Serra, known for his civil rights work and unconventional courtroom tactics.
Trivia question: What 1993 legal thriller also starred Robert Downey Jr. as a lawyer dealing with a complex murder case?
