Review of Runaway Jury (2003) by Lorenzo V — 20 Nov 2008

"Trials are too important to be decided by juries.".

Three people attempt to bend justice for their own purposes in this drama based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham. After a man dies in a shooting incident, his wife files a lawsuit against the company that manufactured the gun, with her lawyer, Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman), arguing that the firm in question knew the shop which sold the weapon was not following federal regulations pertaining to the sale of firearms. As the case goes to trial, the firearm manufacturer is taking no chances on the outcome of a potentially devastating case, and they hire as part of their legal team Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman), a "jury consultant" who makes it his business to see that he knows enough about the jurors to be able to guarantee the result of the trial. Fitch and his team have learned incriminating secrets about nearly everyone hearing the evidence, but Fitch discovers two factors he wasn't counting upon -- Nick Easter (John Cusack), the jury member who appears to have an agenda all his own, and Marlee (Rachel Weisz), a mysterious woman who has her own plans regarding bending the jury to her will.

Review.

This is a good movie, not an excellent movie. It is entertaining, fast moving, and the actors are very skillful. It is an adaptation of a John Grisham novel. If you have read the novel and come expecting to see it acted out verbatim on the screen, you will be disappointed. However, that is true of almost every adaptation of a novel to the screen. The screenwriters use the book as a starting point for the story you see acted out in the theaters. This one is done as well as or a little better than most. I found myself interested and focused during every moment. The ending was perfect, the acting was great, and "a good time was had by all". I will watch it again and advise all my friends to do so as well.