Directed by:
Francis Ford CoppolaScreenplay:
Francis Ford CoppolaCinematography:
John TollComposer:
Elmer BernsteinCast:
Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Jon Voight, Mickey Rourke, Claire Danes, Danny Glover, Mary Kay Place, Dean Stockwell, Teresa Wright, Virginia Madsen, Andrew Shue (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
A young attorney and a scrappy paralegal work to help the parents of a terminally ill boy in their suit against an insurance company. (Netflix)
Videos (1)
Reviews (7)
I've always been attracted to legal dramas, if only because of the work they have to put to appeal to the viewer, especially with long interrogations and conversations in a quiet courtroom. But Coppola had absolutely no problem with that, because he got his hands on some truly great material about an aspiring lawyer and a young boy whose insurance company refuses to pay for his leukaemia treatment. And he also got an excellent cast led by Damon, DeVito, Voight, and Mickey Rourke, who once again delights in a smaller role. Coppola is a first-class director and he plays out the extensive legal battle at first in a slow pace, then at the very end he hits the gas hard and with the help of all the wonderful performances finishes just short of the world record, which still undeniably belongs to Demme's Philadephia and Schumacher's Time to Kill, both of which left me with more lasting memories.
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I would have expected a suffocating and dark courtroom drama from Francis Ford Coppola, but instead I got a refreshing film good for a single viewing that manages to pass quickly despite its length. The pair of appealing stars Matt Damon-Danny DeVito and the fantastic slimeball Jon Voight greatly contribute to this. I'm not afraid to say that it is his best performance.
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The plot is slow and not very convincing at first, but then it turns out to be one of the best legal dramas I've ever seen. Just watching the performances of everyone involved is a treat in itself. Starting with the funny De Vito and ending with Mickey Rourke, who doesn't have much space, but is still unforgettable. And that Damon is a very good actor is something I've known for a long time, and this just confirmed it. PS: After a second viewing, I’m going to 5*.
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Perhaps no subgenre is as perfectly cliché in American audiovisual culture as so-called legal or courtroom dramas. It could be said that nothing new can be invented anymore, and screenwriters are trying increasingly crazier situations, conflicts, and resolutions, all with the understanding that despite the complexity of the plot, this type of film usually has a standard and predictable ending. Various series had the most impact on this decline, as they squeezed the genre to death. Standing out from this flood is the cast, a certain sobriety, and a humanistic message. This is a sincere film that may not surprise you - it actually doesn't have much to surprise with, but it is a film that will stay in your memory, is professionally shot, and actually says quite a lot about the system it criticizes. I'm adding a fifth star for the central acting duo of Matt Damon and Danny DeVito. Overall impression: 90%.
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A dense American courtroom drama that, thanks to Matt Damon's appealingly idealistic character, sustains your hope for a happy ending until the finale. Coppola, thanks to his skill and the almost "pure" character of Rudy Baylor, manages to present the whole story in a palatable and humane way – considering the (im)palatable and inhuman practices taking place. The sideplot with Claire Danes is excellent and fully rounds out Rudy's character, which runs like a silken thread through the entire film. The final urgency and gradation of the trial is impressive, but "only" nips at the heels of the strongest genre representatives (A Time to Kill and Philadelphia). [85%]
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