Movie Year Off To Civil Start

by Jason R. Hewlett

Not too long ago I reviewed "Patch Adams," a movie based on a true story that felt as fake as an artificial Christmas tree without the fringe benefits. Now, we've got the new John Travolta movie "A Civil Action" which is also based on a true story. However, thanks to the writing/directing talents of Steven Zaillian (screenwriter of "Schindler's List") and the spectacular performances of a topflight cast we get the year's first really good film. Not only that, but this true story feels real...and that's all I'm asking for in this kind of film!

Travolta plays slimy lawyer Jan Schlicktmann, a hotshot who drives a fast car and doesn't care if he gets two speeding tickets in the course of one afternoon. He takes cases that promise only a big payoff and some media hype. He's a showman and the frontman of a pretty upper-class law firm. He's drawn into a case involving the deaths of several children that could have been caused by the dumping of toxic chemicals into the water supply of a small community and in the end has to give up almost everything to prove that the culprits (a major corporation and its' subsidiary company) are guilty of the heinous crime.

I don't want to say too much about what happens through the course of the story and how it unfolds. What got me is that it didn't follow the normal Hollywood pattern for the legal genre and culminate in a big courtroom showdown followed by some moral speech. Instead we get to know the characters on all sides of the story, good and bad, and even get to like them. They are real people with real lives and concerns. Things don't end all nice and neat either. It's all a little vague...like life...and while the ending left me a little cold because of that I admire Zaillian for using this approach. It made the film feel real. As it should.

Travolta is good in his role. He seems to be moving more and more away from his "90's Cool" image he adapted after "Pulp Fiction" which is smart. He's ultra-talented and it's nice to see another side to his acting personality. His costars are great as well. Robert Duvall creates one ofthe most interesting characters to come across the silver screen in years. Every move and mannerism is masterful. One should not forget William H. Macy, Tony Shalhoub, or Kathleen Quinlan either. They do fine in their smaller roles but still stand out

The film does have its' flaws. It's maybe a bit long in the tooth from time to time but that's a small price to pay for a few hours of fine cinema. I hope the rest of the film year lives up to this good start.

8 out of 10!