True Colors

This riveting portrait of political society and scandal in highbrow Washington, DC, stars James Spader as Tim Garrity, a socially responsible young man from the upper-middle classes who is engaged to the daughter of the influential and powerful Senator Stiles (Richard Widmark); and John Cusack as Peter Burton, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks with ambition to burn. Both are enrolled at the University of Virginia Law School in 1983. They become roommates and friends quite by accident, and differences in their individual pursuits in politics drive them apart. Taking the Reagan-era credo of greed to heart, Burton ruthlessly claws his way up the political ladder in his effort to get elected to Congress. In the process, he betrays Garrity by stealing his fiancée (Imogen Stubbs) and then becomes involved in shady dealings with a corrupt businessman (Mandy Patinkin). Garrity, principled but passive, stands by while Burton chews up and spits out everyone and everything in his path--until Burton turns on Senator Stiles, forcing Garrity to finally take action against his friend. (official distributor synopsis)