On C List of Movie Reviews
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A Civil Action (1998)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
9/10, 5/19
9/10:
John Travolta selected many great roles during the 90's, and playing a lawyer in A Civil Action
is one of them.
He's at his vintage best. Robert Duvall is great, too. That's why they're respected Hollywood veterans.
The story is interesting but typical as compared to The Rainmaker.
But I'm still a sucker for courtroom movies because they're always compelling to watch.
The film doesn't focus too much on the merits of an environmental pollution lawsuit but rather how
lawyers operate and work on their cases. There's no clear explanation to why Jan Schlictmann decided to
change who he was after he had a Siddhartha-like moment by following the river to the tannery factory that
caused the death of many children. I read once in a magazine that Bruce Willis wished he had a moment
of silence during a scene. Well, John Travolta did it, transforming his character into a hero.
All in all, John Travolta is the reason to watch A Civil Action.
5/19:
John Travolta scores a winner in A Civil Action by going from a man who's motivated by money and
finer things to a lawyer who only wants to serve people.
It's a remarkable performance and the right kind for John Travolta to dig deep and thus change his
personality over time. On the other hand, the 1980 environmental pollution case, which happened in Woburn,
Massachusetts, is interesting to follow and can happen anywhere. Somewhere along the way is a lesson of
ethics about what matters more: money or justice. Although having Robert Duvall on board is nice, his
character's antics are stupid, taking a lot away from the film. Hence, there's no reason for him to
receive an Oscar nomination.
All in all, A Civil Action shows how lawyers operate.