REVIEWS

"A CIVIL ACTION"

Steven Zaillian is one of the best screenwriters working in Hollywood today. He wrote "Awakenings," the film adaptation of "Schindler's List," and "Searching for Bobby Fischer," which he also directed. He's proven to be a great writer, but as a director, maybe "Searching for Bobby Fischer" was a fluke... beginner's luck. Uh-uh. With "A Civil Action," Steve Zaillian proves to be a great director as well as a great writer.

The cast is filled with talent. John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Tony Shalhoub, fellow Miami boy William H. Macy, James Gandolfini, John Lithgow, Kathleen Quinlan, Sydney Pollack, and America's favorite ball of hair, Dan Hedaya. Watching this ensemble at work is a joy. John Travolta is great, but Robert Duvall's brilliant performance as the eccentric "bad guy" lawyer overshadows Travolta's performance.

This is NOT just another John Grisham-type movie. Not even close. Since it's based on a true story, it doesn't have the ending you may find in your average courtroom drama. As a matter of fact, very little screen time is set in the courtroom.

There are a whole bunch of great scenes in this movie, and I credit director Steve Zaillian for that. One scene where John Travolta's character envisions what happened to one of his clients while on the road is pure genius. And it's heartbreaking. Also, there's a scene with Robert Duvall, John Travolta, and a $20 bill that's great. Probably the most interesting scene to watch was the one with Travolta and Sydney Pollack. Excellent stuff.

The entire movie is fascinating from beginning to end. If there was any flaw, it was that Travolta's character wasn't likable enough. We're supposed to root for him, but his selfishness, arrogance, and pride made that difficult, especially since he was hurting others in the process. Still, "A Civil Action" is a must-see.

Scale of 1-10: 9