Affaire non classée

Everything starts nice: the subtleties of the story line are introduced in an admirable low key fashion. And the 'expert' critics say this is a great new twist on a worn out theme, and maybe at the time this movie was released it was - but that was then and this is now and frankly the idea wears thin. There seem to be three writers attached to this project and one will of course conjecture what they were up to, for sections of this loose tale seem rather poorly written - and even poorly directed, and the director Michael Apted, who three years earlier made the excellent Gorillas in the Mist, will have to forgive.

The flaw seems to be thinking that the marriage of these two 'sub-plots' can work. And for a courtroom drama there is precious little courtroom time, and what is there jumps about a bit too much.

The cast are great; the acting is generally top drawer - except for a mother daughter scene near the beginning which simply unequivocally does not work and undermines the viewer's confidence in the movie - and I never before realised how beautiful MEM could be - but maybe anyone dressed in threads like that would look as good.

You'll enjoy it, you'll regard it as adequate entertainment, but if you're looking for excitement or a better overall premise, you'll be disappointed.

Thanks to the recent legal decision against Toyota and memories of the ill-fated Ford Pinto, it's difficult not to think of "Class Action". Many reviewers like to think that court room dramas can always be better, but if you've ever witnessed real court proceedings then you'll discover they can be immensely boring and why film makers avoid it. What makes "Class Action" so refreshing is the context of the case, which is a bona fide problem considering numerous cars with dangerous design problems, the devious corporate view of profit over loss (including life), which gives the film an underplay of David vs. Goliath, the spicy exchanges in court, the conflict between father and daughter, which is essentially a clash of Right vs. Wrong, and of course first rate performances by the actors. There are a few predictable story lines, but that's to be expected. "Class Action" is altogether a very entertaining and insightful film.

The idea, great. the actors, terrific. The plot, solid. the outcome, OK at best. Class Action has its moments, but spends way too much time developing the father-daughter relationship. Just as you get into the dirty dealings of the law firm, the director and editors give us more forced relationship. This is worth a look, but only if on TV.

Gene Hackman is Jedediah Tucker Ward.Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is his daughter Maggie Ward.They're both lawyers.His client is suing an auto company that risked his life.Maggie defends the auto company.Maggie and her father already fight against each other in real life.Now they fight in a courtroom.Class Action (1991) by Michael Apted is as much a courtroom drama as it is a movie about father daughter relationship.Gene Hackman is really great in the lead.This is a good movie but it's Hackman who makes it better.The man hasn't done any movies since Welcome to Mooseport (2004) and he did say to Larry King that his movie career may be over.I really hope that's not the case.Besides Hackman there are many other great talents.Mastrantonio as the daughter is very good.And so is Joanna Merlin as the mother Estelle.Laurence Fishburne is great as Nick Holbrook.Donald Moffat is Fred Quinn and he's terrific.Jan Rubes is fantastic as Alexander Pavel.Matt Clark is the Judge R. Symes and he's great as always.Jonathan Silverman does the role of Brian and he handles it very well.Fred Dalton Thompson is in the role of the immoral Dr. George Getchell.As we all know he's running now for the next President of United States as a republican candidate.Well he can act which is a quality very much needed when you're the head of state.Even though the plot may not be all that original it doesn't matter.The actors with Hackman in the lead make it worth watching at least once.A good court room drama in movies or on TV can be really intrigueing when done right.We've seen a good lawyer in Matlock, played by Andy Griffith and many others after that.The drama of Class Action really works.In and out of the courtroom.

Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastroantonio are involved in a "Class Action" in this 1991 film that also stars Laurence Fishburne, Donald Moffatt, Joanna Merlin and Fred Thompson.

Hackman and MEM, father and daughter, are both attorneys. "I raised you," Jed (Hackman) yells at Maggie (MEM) during one scene. "Mom raised me," she screams back. "You had a date."

Maggie's resentment over her father's infidelity erupts after the death of her mother (Merlin) in a powerful scene. Although Maggie has tried to reconcile with him, she finds there is too much in the way.

Maggie is in an ethical quandary when the law firm she works for wants to suppress evidence about an automobile manufacturer's malfeasance; complicating things is that her father heads the team the other side of the case.

This is a very good movie that emotionally rings true, thanks to a good script and fine performances by Hackman and Mary Elizabeth. I had the pleasure of working with Mary Elizabeth when she was a Broadway actress - a lovely woman with a great talent, shown here to excellent advantage.

Grieving for her mother and unable to accept her father's love, she is blindsided by her boyfriend/boss' ethics violation and has nowhere to turn. The viewer can really feel her pain.

Hackman is wonderful as a shark attorney who loved his wife deeply but made some unfortunate choices and alienated his only child. He finds himself now vulnerable and confused; Hackman expresses these emotions beautifully. There is able support from the top-notch cast.

Compelling and at times powerful.