A Civil Action (1998)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 115 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Steven Zaillian
Stars: John Travolta, Robert Duvall and Tony Shalhoub
IMDb score:
6,6 (32.756)
Releasedate: 25 December 1998
A Civil Action plot
"Justice has its price."
Jan Schlichtmann is not interested in damage cases in which dead children are involved, because according to him there is no money to be made. However, when two large companies have been charged with the deaths of 8 children as a result of illegal waste disposal, he sees value in it. He is up against lawyers William Cheeseman, who is a disgrace to his profession, and Jerome Facher for Act Two.
Actors and actresses
Jan Schlichtmann
Jerome Facher
Kevin Conway
James Gordon
Bill Crowley
William Cheeseman
Judge Walter J. Skinner
Anne Anderson
Neil Jacobs
Kathy Boyer
Reviews & comments
scorsese
-
- 13430 messages
- 11264 votes
Excellent film in which a lawyer takes on a case about polluted water that costs him a lot of money. A beautiful and above all compelling story in which the course is not easy to predict. The cynical opening immediately sets the tone for the rest of the film. The entire cast puts in an excellent performance, and partly because of this only 4.0 stars.
Translated from Dutch · View original
IH88
-
- 9780 messages
- 3194 votes
“Trials are a corruption of the entire process and only fools who have something to prove end up ensnared in them. Now when I say prove, I don't mean about the case, I mean about themselves.”
Thorough court drama that manages to make the legal battle between lawyers exciting and compelling. This is mainly due to the actors, because Travolta, Macy, Shalhoub and Gandolfini are all very strong. But the greatest strength of A Civil Action lies in the playing of Robert Duvall, who excels here as an experienced and cynical lawyer. The case is about polluted water and dead children, but director Zaillian stays away from excessive sentiment. The focus remains on the legal battle and Zaillian knows how to portray that in a meticulous and detailed manner. Supported by the actors and a strong script.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Leland Palmer
-
- 23798 messages
- 4933 votes
Good roles from Travolta and Duvall, where the former with Gandolfini seemed to have a good trump card in the case. However, we don't hear anything from Gandolfini at some point. A bit strange. Just like the fact that such a small law firm gives up everything, really everything for a case in which they know from second 1 that they do not have (barely) enough evidence. Also a little different. Moderate stuff. Then I thought the similar 'Dark Waters' was much better directed.
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