i must have seen a different film!!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Steven Zaillian's "A Civil Action" is not a great movie but is a very good movie that holds businesses accountable for bad practices but in a more serious way than "The Big Short" (2015) did but this time it wasn't banks that the movie was going after but it's more so oil companies. The movie stars John Travolta as Jan Schlictmann a lawyer who sometimes gets in over his head who has some families tell him that some of their children have died in their neighborhoods due to leukemia that in legal terms Schlictmann believes is enough evidence suitable for a trial for the case Schlictmann's firm charges two really big companies at the time Beatrice Foods and WR Grace (which was a major oil company). The courtroom scenes in this movie are good but there are some moments where Judge Walter Skinner (John Lithgow) who is presiding over the case makes Schlictmann look like a total fool, the courtroom scenes don't rank among the best in movie history with movies like "Witness for the Prosecution" (1957), "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962), "The Verdict" (1982), "JFK" (1991), or "A Few Good Men" (1992). Where in those movies the lawyers had facts to back up their case which was a major problem that I had with this movie. Another problem that I had was that Zaillian's screenplay isn't really as strong as I expected it to be and the script wasn't that great like his screenplays for movies like "Schindler's List" (1993), "Gangs of New York" (2002), or "Moneyball" (2011) even though the movie has a really good cast. During the trial the attorney representing Beatrice is a man named Jerome Facher (Robert Duvall) whose charges eventually get dismissed by Judge Skinner because Schlictmann never really had much of a case against them.The people in Schlictmann's firm has a cast of good actors like William H. Macy, and Tony Shalhoub who gave excellent performances in the movie. The movie also has good supporting actors such as James Gandolfini as one of Schlictmann's witnesses.After the case against Beatrice is dismissed he continues going against WR Grace but is having financial trouble and then gets a loan from a man named Al Eustis (Sydney Pollack). The movie is Zaillian's second movie as a director and i'm hoping he does better with other movies that he directed. But I still liked the movie.

A Civil Action (1998): Dir: Steven Zaillian / Cast: John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Kathleen Quinlan, William H. Macy, Tony Shalhoub: Although not extravagant to look at this film suggests a logical manner to address legal situations that may work if evidence doesn't overpower honesty. John Travolta plays a lawyer involved in a case regarding toxic waste products contaminating drinking water. Kathleen Quinlan plays one of the folks addressing the issue. A few workers have come forward with information but eventually they are forced to sell out in order to continue the case. Steven Zaillian directs with skill and observation. He previously made another film that touches on realism called Searching for Bobby Fischer. Travolta struggles with this case even at the expense of his career. Robert Duvall plays the sly and clever opposing lawyer who overrides standard material by presenting a cunning sense of empowerment. William H. Macy brings in much comic relief particularly when it comes to downsizing their business. Kathleen Quinlan is also well cast and counters standard writing with the willingness to win for a greater cause. Tony Shalhoub steals moments as another attorney. This film presents a message that many viewers can be encouraged by and businesses inspired by. It is an enlightening film about the legal system that inquires that we all take a civil action. Score: 9 / 10

Based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr, 'A Civil Action', directed neatly by Steven Zaillian, is A Gripping Film, that brings a true-story on celluloid, efficiently. The Writing, at most places, is sharp, and the performances by Travolta and Duvall, are hugely effective.'A Civil Action' is based on a true story of a court case about environmental pollution that took place in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1970s. It was a tragic time, for the people who lost their loved ones. And the cinematic version pays respect to them. The Court Scenes are sharply written and executed, while some scenes, especially towards the end, lose pace.Steven Zaillian's Adpated Screenplay is mostly intense and gripping. His direction, is neat as well. Cinematography by Conrad L. Hall is picture perfect. Editing is fair.Performance-Wise: Travolta and Duvall, both own the film. Travolta is flawless as the righteous attorney, while Duvall is powerful and menacing. Among other performances, William H. Macy and James Gandolfini stand on their own with note-worthy performances. John Lithgow is perfect, as ever.On the whole, A Must See Film!

If you go into this expecting an exciting, edge of your seat legal thriller type of movie you;re going to be disappointed. I watched this twice. The first time because from what had been described, that's what I was expecting - and I was disappointed. But I decided to give it another chance, reflecting more on the moral of the story and the characters. Using this lens, I wasn't disappointed.John Travolta put on a pretty good performance as Jan Schlictmann, a personal injury lawyer who, although unenthused at first, takes on a case involving environmental contamination that has caused several children in Massachussetts to die of leukemia. Basically, he takes it on because he discovers that there are two huge corporations he could get money from, and that's one moral of the story: personal injury law is less about the victims who've been hurt and more about the money that can be made. IN fact, the very opening of the movie establishes that well, as Schlictmann (in a narration by Travolta) describes who the preferred victims are, based on how much money you can expect to make off them, and children are at the bottom of the list. Schlictmann belongs to a small but pretty successful law firm that doesn't accept cases unless they know they can win, since that's the only way they get paid. The whole point of this type of practice, we're told, is to avoid trials and get big settlements. His colleagues doubt the wisdom of accepting this case but go along with it, until Schlictmann loses his "perspective" in two way: he actually starts to care about the victims, declining large settlements because they're not enough, and, faced with a degree of contempt from the big law firms he's going up against, he decides he has to prove himself. The result is disaster. The firm and all the partners go broke, even after a settlement is made, because what they get doesn't come close to covering their costs, and the families are disappointed because they didn't really care about money - they wanted an apology and a clean-up.Although not especially exciting, the movie is well-paced and interesting, and includes a solid supporting cast, including folks like Robert Duvall, William H. Macy and Tony Shalhoub. I found the end a bit anti-climactic. Hard to believe you could feel sympathy for an ambulance chaser, but by the time the movie ends, I really wanted Schlictmann to win. Instead, he ends up totally destitute - telling a bankruptcy judge that he's left with $14 and a portable radio. He wants to continue the case but doesn't have the resources, so he turns everything over to the EPA. They do take the case on - and win - but Schlictmann is long gone by the time that happens.Since this was a true story, it was nice to see the companies forced to pay up, and somewhat uplifting to learn that Schlictmann switched from personal injury law to environmental law. And, as much as I wanted him to succeed in this case in the end, it is a true story, so the end was what it was. A pretty good movie all in all. 7/10