A Civil Action

Starring: John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Tony Shalhoub, William H. Macy, Zeljko Ivanek, John Lithgow, Kathleen Quinlan, Peter Jacobson, Mary Mara, James Gandolfini, Stephen Frey, Dan Hedaya, David Thornton, Sydney Pollack
Directed by: Steven Zaillian
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
1998

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A lawyer (John Travolta) risks his firm to try a case about pollution causing the death of children in Massachusetts.

Review:

Tim: When I think about A Civil Action, for some reason, I always think it's an overrated movie. It was nominated for two Academy Awards- Best Supporting Actor and Best Cinematography. It didn't win either. So, thinking about this movie, it feels like it gets a better rap than it deserves. However, when you sit down and watch the movie, it is really good and really entertaining. I can't help those feelings, but I can say that this a very strong legal drama and a movie I very much enjoyed.

Living in Massachusetts now, the story hit home even more than when I first saw the movie in the late 1990s. When I first moved to the state, I lived very close to Woburn, and so I now have more of a personal connection. That isn't required to enjoy the movie, however. This story, which is based on actual events, is heartbreaking. The small town saw an inordinate amount of leukemia diagnoses in kids, and people believed it was due to pollution in the water supply. This is a movie about a real-life event that is horrendous and heartbreaking. I'm glad this story was told.

The movie really centers around the legal team of a small firm. This allows us to get to know the characters involved in the case. It helps that the movie boasts a pretty incredible cast. John Travolta works very well in the lead role. It's not one of his very best performances, but he gives a solid turn. I had no fault with him. Tony Shalhoub, William H. Macy, and Zeljko Ivanek make up his team and they all give solid performances. Each are strong actors and they're able to bring something unique to their character. It's a fun team, filled with great actors and it's a joy to sit back and watch them interact. While those four are strong, Robert Duvall steals nearly every scene he's in. He brings some needed levity to the story and delivers a strong performance while having fun with the role. It didn't surprise me that he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. He was one of the best parts of the film. John Lithgow was criminally underutilized here. Kathleen Quinlan has a few nice moments, but I really wanted to see more from her. James Gandolfini adds a nice supporting performance and it was great seeing Dan Hedaya and Sydney Pollack in small but important roles. Really, the cast as a whole is one of the stronger ones I've seen.

The story is solid- it unfolds not at breakneck speed, but takes its time moving forward. This allows us to get to know the characters. The film does run out of steam a bit at the end- the movie is just under two hours long, but the last 15 minutes felt a little hard to get through. The story does give us a few unexpected twists and offers us the judicial wrangling we've come to expect from films like this. My attention was held throughout and only wavered here and there. The film could have done more to deliver an emotional punch- I was invested in the characters and the story, but my heartstrings weren't tugged nearly enough.

A Civil Action doesn't do enough to launch itself into the upper echelon. There's so many truly great courtroom, legal dramas. This film doesn't compare to some of those classics. However, this movie isn't overrated- it's a very competently directed, entertaining, powerful true life story. It's entertaining and well made and it features a very solid cast. I enjoyed this movie and would absolutely recommend this film. Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Erin Brockovich, A Time to Kill, To Kill a Mockingbird, Runaway Jury, A Few Good Men