A CIVIL ACTION Cast: John Travolta, Robert Duvall, Tony Shalhoub, William H. Macy, Zeljko Ivanek, James Gandolfini, Bruce Norris, John Lithgow, Kathleen Quinlan, Stephen Fry, Dan Hedaya Director: Steven Zaillian Screenplay: Steven Zaillian based on the book by Jonathan Harr Reviewed by Luke Buckmaster
On the Buckmaster scale of 0 stars (bomb), to 5 stars (a masterpiece): 2 and a half stars
I'm not sure what message Steven Zaillian is trying to give us in his new film, A Civil Action. Zaillian adapted Schindlers List and Searching For Bobby Fischer for the screen, and once again he has shown considerable talent in his take on the true story of lawyer Jan Schlichtmann, a man who gives up everything in his search for justice, only to realize that justice cannot be measured in dollars. The film should have been character based, but unfortunately it is based almost entirely on Schlichtmann's complicated legal case and how he and his business partners go broke trying to prove the truth. But as Robert Duvall tells John Travolta, truth is not something that is found in a courtroom. Perhaps this cynical view on the American legal system is what Zaillian is getting at, but I'm still not sure. He also has something to say about compensation, justice and moral order, though none of these issues are voiced with adequate emotional depth.
Schlichtmann's case centers on a tragedy that deprived eight families - living in the small American town of Woburn - of their children. They say this is due to Woburn's water supply, which has allegedly been poisoned by riverside factories. Schlichtmann is at first reluctant to take up the case, but sees dollar signs after discovering that major corporations are involved. With the help of his dedicated small team of employees - including financial advisor James Gordon (William H. Macy, in yet another excellent small role) - Schlichtmann attempts to bring the big guys to their knees. He faces veteran attorney Jerome Facher (Robert Duvall), an expert with considerably more experience under his belt, and ends up delving far too deep in the case, landing his company in serious financial trouble.
A Civil Action is yet another vehicle that showcases John Travolta's dominant presence, although he is not eccentric here. Travolta has channeled and refined himself and his performance is tamer than what you might expect. He is a pleasing actor and this is a pleasing part, although the script rarely gives him the chance of grasping emotion. Robert Duvall is expected to give the film its energy, but again the script doesn't properly utilize his capabilities. With such a talented cast, it's a pity that A Civil Action doesn't benefit from any of them except perhaps Macy, who provides the only character I could clearly relate to. As his financial world tumbles down around him, Gordon confronts Schlichtmann in an excellent scene that expresses the arrogance of Travolta's lawyer perfectly - he can fight crusades, but what gives him the right to bring his friends down with him?
Like so many others, A Civil Action is pretentious because it tells an important story without building a solid dramatic core on which to stage it. Though it is often involving, often engaging and occasionally moving, this is ultimately a heartless piece that is too focused on facts and too little on character. If you don't mind a courtroom caper that is so stripped of emotion that it often feels like a documentary, A Civil Action's coherent screenplay and steady performances will keep you ignorant of its faults. There is material for a potentially excellent film here, but one can't help but feel that Steven Zaillian has taken the easy way out on too many occasions. Instead of examining tragedy and what it means to those involved, he examines courtroom procedures. Instead of looking into the hearts and minds of characters that are fighting for truth, he merely studies the truth itself. One might say that A Civil Action could have been a lot worse - that's true, but my main complaint is that it could have been a lot better.
Read more of my reviews at In Film Australia http://infilmau.iah.net
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