A Civil Action is a 1998 drama film directed by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the book of the same name by Jonathan Harr. Both the book and the film are based on a true story of a court case about environmental pollution that took place in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s. The film was moderately successful critically and commercially. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Robert Duvall and Best Cinematography.
The film is about Jan Schlichtmann (John Travolta), a personal injury lawyer, who takes a case involving a townâs water having been polluted by two companies, causing several deadly cases of leukemia among the area children. After a long and expensive trial which leaves Jan on the brink of bankruptcy, the companies settle for a much smaller amount than Jan had hoped for.
The film is an accurate adaptation of the novel. It hits the major points of the story, making sure to bring the bookâs most memorable and visual moments to life on the screen. However, the film may have tried too hard to directly translate the novel to the screen. The film may have been stronger if it did more than simply condense the 502 page novel into 115 minutes. Some liberties may have been taken for the sake of making the story more cinematic, or giving additional character development. Notably, the first scene of the film is outstanding, and gives the initial impression that the rest of the film will be equally impressive. If the filmmakers had been able to achieve the same level of quality throughout the film that they were able to accomplish in the opening, the film would have been significantly better. Unfortunately, the rest of the film was just extremely average and mediocre.
The film does feature a number of famous Hollywood stars. Robert Duvall plays Jerome Facher, the defense attorney for W. R. Grace, one of the defendant companies accused of polluting the water supply. His performance is one of the more remarkable aspects of the film. His character is likeable and interesting. He plays a crafty, somewhat unconventional, brilliant, older attorney who is obsessed with the Red Sox. Other famous actors in the film include Tony Shalhoub, William H. Macy, John Lithgow, James Gandolfini, and Sydney Pollack.
The film does contain several quotes that reveal the true nature of the legal system. In voiceover, Schlichtmann explains, âThe odds of a plaintiff's lawyer winning in civil court are two to one against.â In the opening voiceover, Schlichtmann explains the value of different plaintiffs: âA dead plaintiff is rarely worth as much as a living, severely-maimed plaintiff. However, if it's a long slow agonizing death, as opposed to a quick drowning or car wreck, the value can rise considerably. A dead adult in his 20s is generally worth less than one who is middle aged. A dead woman less than a dead man. A single adult less than one who's married. Black less than white. Poor less than rich. The perfect victim is a white male professional, 40 years old, at the height of his earning power, struck down in his prime. And the most imperfect? Well, in the calculus of personal injury law, a dead child is worth the least of all.â
Overall, I was entertained by the film. I would be interested to see other films by Steven Zaillian, especially Searching for Bobby Fischer, Moneyball (which he co-wrote with Aaron Sorkin), and Clear and Present Danger (which he wrote). I would recommend A Civil Action to fans of dramas, legal films, and adaptations of novels.Â
