A CIVIL ACTION Revere Cinema, 1-29-99, 9:55 PM Showing
Review by Joe Viglione
This is a once in a lifetime role for John Travolta, and at the onset, he looks brilliant in it; but Robert Duvall not only outclasses Travolta's character, he shows John what Burt Reynolds meant about there being nothing like an old Stradivarius...Burt is right. Both Travolta and Duvall have to deal with annoying characters. Both lawyers are absolute jerks. Where Duvall plays it cool, calculated, like a professional shark, Travolta is edgy in his role as the flamboyant, greedy ambulance chaser.
He overdoes it. You don't feel sympathy for Jan Schlictman, a sympathy that is there in the book by Jonathan Harr. Sure, he is a prisoner of his own obsession, but you really have to wonder why his partners let him behave like a runaway train? And why Travolta folds up into this "victim" when he should be more "head held high" arrogant, and cocky. That's what I got out of the book, but maybe John never read it.
With all the investment, with the good will of the victims of the tragedy, none of the lawyers stepped in and did the right thing. But the actors playing them are splendid, and the supporting cast keeps this film afloat. The relish with which some of the unknowns attack their roles overshadows Travolta.
Perhaps because of that, the film is magnificent. You don't have to live in Woburn to appreciate the sweeping beauty of the Boston skyline, the river Charles, the microcosm of New York City. And that is what this film really does...it exposes Boston as a gorgeous city whose lawyers, talk show hosts, sports teams, and music scene, well, just come in second place to New York. It's all there when The Attorney tries to settle with Grace in New York. Rather than put on the poker face, Travolta gets the $2400.00 a night hotel room while the tycoon gets him to put his feet up on some rickety antique.
Out of his league. And Travolta, despite being hailed as the "comeback kid", and yes, he certainly deserves credit for that, well, he goes from brilliant to ok...passing grade. Will he get an Academy Award? Maybe out of the sympathy of those voting for his hard work and persistence...but he just doesn't deliver the knock-out blow...Robert Duvall does. This is light years away from Robert's performance in The Apostle...in fact, that reminds me of Travolta here...almost, but no cigar.
For the meat of the film, I must say, the cinematography, the direction, the editing, Danny Elfman's music, everything falls into place. This picture is something very, very special. How do you take an old story that we in Woburn/Stoneham have read and known about, and make it an amazing work that stands on its own? Somehow, they pull it off. This film can be watched again, and again, and again, and it is the little things...the angle of the camera, sweeping across rooms and scenery...and for any resident of Woburn, it is scary. My friend said to me "how many more sites like this in Massachusetts...?" Good question...my reply: "Yeah, but I live there..." And he almost moved in!
Perhaps we should get a place more conducive to humankind...like, maybe a condo in Palm Beach? A Civil Action is just the piece of filmmaking to tell any sane person to get out of Woburn...
Who should have played the lead role? Raymond Burr? No, he had too much authority...Richard Gere? YES...Richard Gere does the law thing with a sparkle, he would have been a great antagonist to Duvall's pragmatic bull. Ah, but only in a perfect world.
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