A Flash of Green (1984)

Victor Nunez's unjustly neglected film is a probing examination of the corruption of small-town land developers in his native Florida, with a tremendous performance by Ed Harris. The actor stars as a reporter covering a battle between conservationists and developers over the disposition of a thus-far protected bay. After initially receiving payoffs from a friend, politician Richard Jordan, not to interfere with the deal in print, he begins to have second thoughts when the developers hire some thugs to intimidate their opponents. A complex and absorbing film that successfully steers clear of melodrama, it subtly delineates the conflicting loyalties that are invariably a part of such scenarios, as well as the steep price often paid by those who act according to their consciences. As the reporter on the horns of a dilemma in both his professional and personal lives, Harris pulls the audience into the heart of his wrenching ordeal. Richard Jordan evinces a palpable ambivalence as a greedy man who is angered by his friend while caring for him, and Blair Brown shows the nuances behind the public face of the activist. ~ Michael Costello, All Movie Guide