Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

vkutan This film tells the story of two brothers and also two of the greatest actors of own generation, story that have potential, but... Premise of film is thriller/drama, but part that was supposed to be thriller was not elaborated clearly. The plot is about nonsense. Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall give the best that could give from this screenplay, and Charles Durning as Jack Amsterdam was quite remarkable. Pace of this movie is slow, even too slow and plot is also predictable. Very bad ending as well. This is a film that was to easy to forget. In short, pretty average film with some potential to be a true classic. Rating:6/10

wes-connors After the end of World War II, Americans turn their attention to other stories. Capturing the country's attention is the 1948 murder of a young woman known as "The Virgin Tramp". Her body is found in Los Angeles, neatly cut in half. There is some disagreement about whether the body requires one or two stretchers on its way to the morgue. My vote is one, but forensics folks like to keep the body as it was discovered. Arriving at the murder scene is police detective Robert Duvall (as Thomas "Tom" Spellacy). His brother is Catholic priest Robert De Niro (as Desmond "Des" Spellacy). There will be a connection...You would expect a crime story involving a policeman and priest played by Mr. Duvall and Mr. De Niro to be better than this. There is also a great supporting cast, led by Duvall partner Kenneth McMillan (as Frank Crotty) and De Niro associate Charles Durning (as Jack Amsterdam). And, it's obviously well-produced. The story should have stuck with Duvall and the murder mystery. De Niro's character might have been more minor - the film is, simply, too sluggish. Also, there was no need for the bracketing opening and closing scenes set in the present. Surely, the brothers had more to reminisce about than this incident.***** True Confessions (9/24/81) Ulu Grosbard ~ Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Charles Durning, Kenneth McMillan

nomoons11 This was a really good little film. It takes a look at the Black Dahlia killing but it mainly focuses on the relationships between the people. Even though they look and figure out who the killer is, it's a secondary part of the story. The Black Dahlia part in this movie is not accurate to the facts from the real case but it's not really suppose to be. Catholic Church corruption, prostitution and murder all combined for a really quiet meaningful little flick.Long before L.A. Confidential, this film made light of the massive corruption and lack of caring in the L.A. police department back in it's bad years from the 20's through the 50's. You'll be glad you didn't live there back in those days.No action but high on drama/thriller twists and turns. If you like L.A. Confidential, see this. I'm willing to bet, you'll like it.

edwagreen Terrible film which gives another awful impression of the Catholic church filled with corruption and violence.Robert De Niro as the monsignor certainly gives that high position a bad name. A priest who visits the track and associates himself with undesirables is certainly not a positive role model for the church.In the film, De Niro's brother is played by Robert Duvall, a cop with an ax to grind.We hear stories about companies getting contracts to build churches and schools. There is murder along the way. Charles Durning really adds to this mess in the scene where he is made Catholic lay-man of the year and then goes on a tirade against Duvall,when the latter accuses him of wrong-doing.The Duvall character, as the policeman, is not exactly a study of a choir boy either.The movie is nasty. No one is really depicted as nice. Nearly everyone is frequenting a prostitute played by Rose Gregorio. She turns in a nice supporting performance but was her demise a suicide or murder?