Review of A Civil Action (1998) by John C — 14 Dec 2007

A very good thriller and one of john travolta's better eforts is a bout the true story of jan schlichtman, a cynical high powered attorney that represenmts personal injury cases who has spent years taking on big money cases that are easily settled in court gets a new case and several parents complaining that their children are getting sick in their small town and some even died.

Eventually persuaded into representing the case, Jan originally thought it would be a hit and run case until he realized how difficult this case was going to get. Apparent a pharmaceutical company has been dumping waste in the small town's lake.

Robert duvall comes into the picture as another high powered lawyer reprsenting the pharamaceutical company and doing everything he can to make this case go away even if it entails in bribing Jan. When the townfolks rejects Jan's newest settllement, Jan ends up putting everyone in the his firms's life in jeopardy to the point of putting up their homes so they can continue with the case.

In the end jan will lose his career, his reputation and his friends all in the belief that maybe there is way to find the truth and to the put the guilty party to shame. As it is in the true story Jan wins the biggest case in us history and getting the families a little over 90 million dollars in settlment.

With a strong suppooirtive cast wich includes robert duvall, william H. macy, tony shaloub, and kathleen quinlan and with the help of a great story, and great direction from steve zailian this easily becomes one of the more fasinating legal thriller of thew oast twenty years.

Defintly worth buying.