Diagonaldi Very well executed

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Maleeha Vincent It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Cissy Évelyne It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

secondtake A Civil Action (1999)John Travolta holds this decent but routine film up pretty well, acting as the heroic and sacrificing lawyer for an environmental case in Massachusetts. The plot is restrained, not the heart-tugging Erin Brokovich kind of spin on the same idea, and it deserves some credit for taking the reality of it seriously, including the ending.The photography may not seem notable at first, but in fact there is a quiet stead restraint and beauty to the way the film is seen, as well. A few camera shots, moving around a sculpture, or through a room toward Travolta, are stunning once you realize the trickery going on (moving and zooming at the same time, but subtly). And Connie Hall (the cinematographer) talks about how he found a somber palette for the color that stays consistent all through.The director, Steven Zaillain, is more of a writer, though he has "Searching for Bobby Fischer" to his great credit. And I think the material and stellar actors involved here could have been twisted into a great, classic movie. But it doesn't make it. The pace and the intensity are sometimes just off. Even the scenes of desperation and anger in the law office have the feeling of imitation and of acting a little too hard. Look for small roles by Kathy Bates, Harry Dean Stanton, and James Gandolfini. And of course Robert Duvall as the "bad" guy, as well as John Lithgow as the judge. But mostly look for an under-appreciated John Travolta here. Well done.

Dave from Ottawa Personal injury lawyers are often thought of as ambulance chasers for good reason - they take cases based on the wealth of the opponent and their ability to avoid getting the case thrown out rather than on its legitimate legal merits, and Travolta's character is very successful at this. His credo is that any lawyer who goes to court has failed, since his job is to settle OUT of court. The first half hour of the film sets up this world of nuisance litigation with a series of brilliant speeches that have the viewer off-center from the usual idealistic young lawyer trying to right wrongs nonsense so prevalent in legal dramas and so missing here. Yet, slowly we watch successful attorney Jan Schlichtmann (Travolta), as he pursues a big company accused of dumping chemicals, slowly evolve INTO the kind of legal crusader we have seen so often seen before, and this way some otherwise familiar courtroom drama takes on a fresh edge and provides greater interest that it otherwise might. And since the drama is based on a true story, it takes some surprising turns especially toward the end, as life often does and Hollywood does less often. An excellent script achievement and a very good resulting film.

namashi_1 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!

callanvass I'm not gonna lie, I don't really remember much about this movie, and frankly i'm pretty glad that I don't. I recall having high expectations for this movie, since I'm a big Travolta fan, and i love the courtroom genre. I however ultimately was disgusted by the boredom I went through, by viewing this movie. It lacks spunk, and Travolta's character is very hard to root for, since he's manipulative, and unlikable. There are better courtroom drama's out there, for you to see. This one lacks the bite it needs.Performances. John Travolta does what he can, but his character is so unlikable, I had trouble relating to him. Robert Duvall adds class to a rather classless film, but that's about it. Rest of the big name cast, do OK.Bottom line. They should have named this "Civil Actionless" because there isn't much suspense or interesting drama to be found. Perhaps there is another audience for this film, but i'm not apart of that audience.4/10