Customer Reviews

Civil Action

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Jan Schlichtmann (Travolta) is a Boston tort lawyer and something of an ambulance chaser who is initially reluctant to take on an industrial pollution case involving some children dead of leukaemia in rural New England. He changes his mind when he realizes the likely defendants are a couple of big companies with particularly deep pockets and smells the possibility of serious money. Over time, however his interest in the case becomes a moral obsession. The cynical becomes a crusader, refusing offers to settle as his company's finances spiral downwards towards bankruptcy.

If you like courtroom dramas, this is highly recommended. It's one of the best specimens of the genre to come out of America since 'The Verdict'. It's interesting to compare it to 'Erin Brockovich' released a couple of years later. EB is about how a heroic small timer takes on the big boys of corporate America and how her pluck and determination triumphs over all obstacles, something of a legal feelgood movie in other words. Which this, to its great credit, is not. Its central character, for starters, is far more amibivalently likeable: initially just out for a fast buck, moral seriousness has to creep up on him and take him by surprise (perhaps reminding writer/director Zaillian of Oskar Schindler whose story he scripted for Spielberg a few years earlier) and the story's development paints a significantly more ambivalent picture of what pluck and determination can accomplish. It's a highpoint of Travolta's acting career even if he is comprehensively upstaged by Robert Duvall, on brilliant form as his quietly cynical adversary, bigshot lawyer Jerome Facher who knows far better than to look for the truth in a courtroom...

The movie is fine... but the book is an amazing read. There is so much detail and nuance lost in the adaption to a visual medium.

This is a really good film that didn't get near the attention it should have. A great story, a terrific premise and plot. And Travolta nails his performance as a man faced with the dilemna of doing the "right thing" at great personal expense, or walking away with what he has left. This is a morality play of sorts and Travolta is the conscience of us all. We're thrilled when he triumphs; we breathe a sigh of relief and unclench our fists. Yet, we probably wouldn't have blamed him if he had walked. A nice film.

'A Civil Action' is one of the most underrated movies of the past 5 years. Pay very close attention to the very first scene of the movie and the very last scene of the movie. THE POINT will come to you. :)

No, this film is not "based on a true story" or the cringe-inducing "inspired by a true story" (the latter which can mean anything, and usually does)--the fact is, this film IS a true story. It is the true story of how a materialistic personal injury lawyer pursues a noble yet unwieldly case, at the cost of all the materialistic benefits that he had spent his entire career in creating for himself.

Yes, this case really did exist. Yes, there really was (and still is) a lawyer named Jan Schlichtmann (as portrayed by Travolta), who really did pursue this case against two large corporations, Beatrice and W.R. Grace (both named in the movie), who really did illegally dump pollutants in a neighborhood somewhere in Massachusetts, and which really did cause the deaths of 12 children from leukemia. Yes, Mr. Schlichtmann really DID comment cynically when he was first presented with the case, "I really don't see the value in a bunch of dead babies." There really was a corporate defense attorney named Jerome Facher (as portrayed by Duvall) who played this case as if constantly hedging his bets at a Vegas casino poker table. And so on...you get the idea.

This film is brutally honest, names names, pulls no punches...and forgoes the typical, traditional Hollywood-style happy ending for one that is completely real, unfabricated, and ultimately satisfying in the realization that, it too, is real. That doesn't mean that it is emotionally unsatisfying. After all, after investing nearly two hours with this case, and these characters, about which we grow to care completely (especially because we know they're real), this film does provide the payoff in the end. I just won't tell you which one; you have to see this brilliant film in order to find out.

This film proves, for once and for all, that the truth really is stranger than fiction!

MOST RECOMMENDED

If like me, you're something of a sucker for socially conscious movies, flicks with their hearts in the right place, then A CIVIL ACTION is definitely a must-see for you. In terms of facing complex moral and legal issues (not always the same thing, in fact often miles apart), writer director Steven Zaillian seldom takes the easy way out. The film rings true on those fronts--although he does frequenly engage in a kind of cinematic shorthand that compresses time and events and I do believe there are some of those "composite characters" so ubiquitous in true-life films.

Still it's commendable effort. If you like courtroom drama at all, you will appreciate the wheeling and dealing and the high stakes human drama going down here. The cast list suggests that there will be some quirky characterization going on, if not a downright acting feast. Any movie that boasts Robert Duvall, James Gandolfini, William H. Macy and John Lithgow can't go wrong on the acting front, right? Well, yes and no, they all turn in fine performances. Only Macy and Duvall get to do anything really quirky though.

Others have suggested that John Travolta is somewhat miscast here. I disagree. He makes a believable transition from money grubbing ambulance chaser to impassioned champion of the common man (woman and CHILD). Not easy to do in the space of a couple of hours. Jonathan Harr had over 500 pages to tell that tale. Harr tells it better, but Travolta and Zaillian do a credible job, given the limitations of cinema.

A CIVIL ACTION is a worthy effort. Certainly not perfect, but many will find it provocative. Most will find it well worth their time. These days, when you seldom see anything like the classic socially conscious filmmaking, so common from the 30s to the 70s, it's heartening to see a film this intelligent and authentic. (Why can't all these notorious Hollywood Liberals make a halfway decent liberal film anymore?) This is a film well worth your time.

Having always been a John Travolta fan, I knew I would like this movie regardless of its topic. However, just recently I had the opportunity to visit family who live directly across the street from one of the corporate buildings of the polluters and it made it all come to life for me. I could envision those children being poisoned silently and the families not getting the kind of response they needed from the government, let alone someone to listen to them about the seriousness of the problem. And to say it was a "minor" problem in history makes me wonder why the property nearby is a DEQ Superfund cleanup spot.

Too bad there aren't more being like Jan S. in our world today.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WATCHING THIS FILM, THIS COULDN'T BE MORE OF A CLEARER CASE OF THE BOOK BEING MUCH BETTER THAN THE FILM, THIS IS COMING FROM A PERSON WHO READS BOOKS FOR PLEASURE ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, I'M TELLING YOU'D BE BETTER OFF READING THE BOOK, THE EVENTS ALL HAPPEND AND THE STORY IS TOLD BETTER.

THOUGH I UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS SIDE OF IT, ITS A SHAME THEY PUT THE MOVIE PUBLICITY PICTURE ON THE COVER OF THE BOOK, ITS LIKE A LOUSY ATHLETE BEING VOTED ON THE ALL-STAR TEAM JUST BECAUSE ALL THE TEAMS HAVE TO BE REPRESENTED.

THATS ALL I GOTTA SAY!

This review refers to the DVD widescreen edition(Paramount) of "A Civil Action"....

A personal injury lawyer takes on the big guns from big business in this fascinating legal drama. Based on a true story, John Travolta plays Jan Schlichtmann, who knows how to get his injured clients the big bucks, as well as a big cut for himself. It's all about the money..that is until he takes on a case where the stakes are high and there is no settlement in sight.

A town is overidden with illness. From cancer to miscarriages the percentage of sick and dieing people is staggering. Is it mere coincidence, or is there something in the water that is making everyone sick? The townspeople only want an apology and to have the pollution cleaned up. They ask Schlichtmann's firm of lawyers to help. But who is to blame? For a really good apology, it will have to be someone with deep pockets! After a little nosing around, it is discovered that the culprits do have deep pockets. There are two multi-million dollar corporations involved and the firm decides to take them on.They put everything on the line as this case becomes more personal to them, and may lose it all in the end.

An excellent ensemble cast includes Robert Duvall, Kathleen Quinlan,William H Macy, Tony Shalhoub, James Gandolfini, Dan Hedaya and John Lithgow. Although billed as a thriller, I would consider it more of high drama in the courtroom. It is though, a gripping and moving account of the events, one that I can watch repeated viewings of without tiring of it. Travolta turns in a superb performance as he becomes immersed in fighting for the rights of his clients.

The DVD has a perfect picture in widescreen, and the sound was very good as well in Dolby Dig 5.1(I did not notice any of the humming noises that the editorial rating spoke of). The music, dialouge and all surrounding sounds were crisp and clear. It may be viewed in French and has a production featurette.

If you like "Erin Brockavitch",or captivating courtroom dramas, this one is right up your alley.

Will Justice prevail? Find out as John Travolta and Robert Duvall meet before the judge... and enjoy.....Laurie

A really great story supposely based on true story gripping in it's tale of greedy & lies behind a secret that could destroy a town & company along with it . john travolta does an excellent job as the lawyer seeking the truth behind the lies but it may cost him all he has . The beef i have with this film though is that it should have got an R - rating for the lauagage in it shame on the rating people for letting it slide by . it has the f word three times it . i personally think that it could have done without it , but hey that's just me, besides that it's a great flick . if they ever do an edited of this film just take the lauguage out leave content in thank you. if you still would like to see this picture parents may want to screen it first there nothing that would offend you, But the profanity. the whole cast does great job.

Highly Recommended still,

I still think it should've got an R- Rating.