A Civil Action (1998)

Big business poisons small town water - before Erin Brockovich took on this battle in real life which was ultimately transported on screen for our viewing pleasure, there was another attorney, a certain Jan Schlichtmann who took on a similar case, defending families who had been consistently poisoned and suffered familial illness and death, all because their water had been contaminated by the life blood businesses of their small town.

A Civil Action tells Jan Schlichtmann's story, the story of a not so likable shark of an ambulance chasing attorney, who takes on a case which will change his life as he fights for the residents of a small town, a case he initially did not want to take, and one that would come at great personal cost. 

The movie is an adaptation of the novel of the same name and tells the story of the case  Anne Anderson, et al., v. Cryovac, Inc., et al.

I am grateful that I am currently on this little movie watching expedition because I am watching movies I might have missed previously, this being one of them. I have always enjoyed court case movies, especially topically relevant films - this being so because in this world we live in we are unfortunately all slaves to big business and justice needs to prevail when big business wrongs the little man. There is some heart wrenching stuff in this movie, one particular victim's story stabbing at a parent's greatest fears.

John Travolta is a bit of a miss in this movie for me, and I enjoy John Travolta, it just so happens that I do not enjoy him in everything he does, and this movie was made during a Travolta era when he was the star of stars, being offered every job available because he was just that bankable - this is not my favourite Travolta movie, thankfully the story is so much bigger than a single performance to keep me interested enough passed John's rendition of Jan.

Robert Duvall is excellent in the movie, as Robert Duvall usually is, it's an Oscar Nominated performance for Best Supporting Actor, and a well deserved one - he plays the formidable opposition attorney Jerome Facher, an incredibly likable character you loathe to dislike, but who warrants your dislike.

Great Court Drama, give it a go if it's your cup of tea...

So this is the 2nd movie watched from the 71st Academy Awards, and the 27th Oscar Nominated movie I have watched since I started this blog.

nuff said...