Un tenace avvocato si occupa di un caso che coinvolge una grande azienda responsabile della diagnosi di leucemia a diverse persone a causa della contaminazione dell'approvvigionamento idrico... Leggi tuttoUn tenace avvocato si occupa di un caso che coinvolge una grande azienda responsabile della diagnosi di leucemia a diverse persone a causa della contaminazione dell'approvvigionamento idrico della città.Un tenace avvocato si occupa di un caso che coinvolge una grande azienda responsabile della diagnosi di leucemia a diverse persone a causa della contaminazione dell'approvvigionamento idrico della città.
- Regia
- Sceneggiatura
- Star
- Candidato a 2 Oscar
- 5 vittorie e 10 candidature totali
- Mr. Granger
- (as Daniel Von Bargen)
Recensioni in evidenza
Robert Duvall is excellent as his opposing counsel, and his character's interplay in the courtroom drama with Travolta is worth seeing the film for alone. Duvall plays quirky characters like few else in modern cinema.
Given the job of prosecuting a tannery over water pollution that has led to the death of many children, this is well written and structured - as well as being brilliantly acted and well directed.
The one complaint I would have is that this petered out a little in the finish, which was perhaps inevitable as it's a true story, and sometimes the climax of real life isn't as good as in fiction.
I approached this film with firm expectations. I work as an environmental consultant and in part of my law training I was advised to read the book as it was a good case study (albeit a 500 page case study) on a environmental case. The book was fascinating if a little heavy in detail. For the film I knew that much of it was going to be trimmed but I didn't realize how much. The `trimmed' bit is the whole case! There is none of the trial instead any court room scenes are more focused on the characters than the case.
As a film this still plays well and is entertaining if not enlightening or interesting. It still carries the mantle of being `true' but without any of the book's case detail it is never more than a Grisham-esque drama despite having a better ending.
The cast are great easily turning out for a worthy film and they are rewarded because the characters get much better treatment than the facts. Travolta does well but doesn't manage to be as real as the book's portrayal of Schlichtmann. Duvall is good while the rest of the cast are very much support but manage to be deep. When names like William H Macy, Shalhoub, John Lithgow, Kathleen Quinlan, Stephen Fry, Dan Hedaya and James Gandolfini are all in support then you rightly expect it to be a very worthy film.
Overall this is a good film that is entertaining. There is a more powerful, more interesting and moving captivating story at it's heart anyone wanting that story should read the book.
'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!
Lo sapevi?
- QuizThe real Jerome Facher was thrilled at the way he was portrayed by Robert Duvall.
- BlooperAl Eustis tells Jan he won't pay the amount of money to settle the lawsuit because once the amount is disclosed to the public, they'll file lawsuits as well. With all his years of experience in civil law, Jan should've known this is only an excuse because all contract settlement terms will remain confidential to any outside party, as the judge states at 1 hour and 30 minutes into the movie.
- Citazioni
Jan Schlichtmann: [narrating] The odds of a plaintiff's lawyer winning in civil court are two to one against. Think about that for a second. Your odds of surviving a game of Russian roulette are better than winning a case at trial. 12 times better. So why does anyone do it? They don't. They settle. Out of the 780,000, only 12,000 or 11/2 percent ever reach a verdict. The whole idea of lawsuits is to settle, to compel the other side to settle. And you do that by spending more money than you should, which forces them to spend more money than they should, and whoever comes to their senses first loses. 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.
- Curiosità sui creditiThe producers wish to thank the people of Boston, Waltham, Northbridge, Charlestown, Dedham, Brimfield and Palmer, MA.
- Versioni alternativeIn the North American prints, the 1985 Touchstone Pictures logo played first, followed by the 1995 version of the 1987 Paramount Pictures plays at the beginning. The international prints had the logos alternating with Paramount played first followed by Touchstone. The North American prints ending it with the Buena Vista Pictures Distribution disclaimer, followed by the closing version of the Paramount Pictures and Touchstone Pictures logos. The international prints meanwhile had also removing the Buena Vista references and it goes directly to the closing version of Touchstone Pictures and Paramount Pictures logos.
- Colonne sonoreHard Workin' Man
Written by Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder, Paul Schrader
Performed by Don Van Vliet (as Captain Beefheart)
Courtesy of MCA Records
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets
I più visti
Dettagli
Botteghino
- Budget
- 75.000.000 USD (previsto)
- Lordo Stati Uniti e Canada
- 56.709.981 USD
- Fine settimana di apertura Stati Uniti e Canada
- 70.079 USD
- 27 dic 1998
- Lordo in tutto il mondo
- 56.709.981 USD
- Tempo di esecuzione
- 1h 55min(115 min)
- Colore
- Mix di suoni
- Proporzioni
- 1.85 : 1