Rating: 
Summary: Grisham book made proud By Gene Hackman and Rachel Weisz.
Review: I was invited by a friend from the press to a viewing of the new John Grisham film, Runaway Jury. He knew that I was a fan of the original book, so he invited me to tag along with him while he reviewed the film. Now for starters, The movie is really nothing like the book at all. Some characters have their roles extended while some have theirs diminish. (Dustin Hoffman's role has been greatly extended from the book) and the original argument of the tobacco industry is change to a fight about gun control. While this makes this film the least faithful of all of John Grisham's books turn to movies, it turns out to be the second best of all of them (The Firm of course being the best). Gene Hackman makes the character of Rankin Fitch
His own, bring a sense of menace to his role. While this is Gene's third go around in a John Grisham movie, this is his best turn. He really has a commanding presence, and commands the screen with zeal. Dustin Hoffman is well cast as Wendell Rohr, Hackman's counterpart in the lawsuit. While Dustin's character was not as prominent in the book, his character is giving a nice boost up in the film. Maybe because of the stature of an actor that Dustin Hoffman is but in the long run is really not as commanding a presence as Gene Hackman is in this movie. John Cusack is perfect as Nicholas Easter, making him sort of a every man hero with a purpose but also with a secret that will not be reveled by me (you got to see the movie) And Rachel Weisz is perfection in the flesh as. Marlee. Not only does she captures the character with a sense of coolness, mystery, and complexity but she also holds her own with the great Gene Hackman, and does not lose face in the process. Her performance is as captivating as Hackman, and just as powerful. While there is more character interaction that court room interaction (unlike the book). You never feel cheated by what is on screen. Don't expect a faithful connection to the book, but expect a very good movie none the less.
Rating: 
Summary: The strong performance of Rachel Weisz is the only plus here
Review: Derivative thriller that not only does not stay close to the book but also lacks the insight to give a better show. The script has too many problems and the pacing starts and stalls at will in the most starling of moments. The acting is fine with Rachel Weisz stealing the show and doing better than she should have consitering the script is flat and Gene Hackman doing his best work in years. The whole espionage aspect to the film just does not work, and in reality, the case would have been throng out of a real court. The acting is the only plus in this film and that is a miracle because the rest of the film just does not work. Thanks to Rachel Weisz and Gene Hackman, the movie is just ok but if it had a decent script, it could have been better.
Rating: 
Summary: Anti-gun propoganda
Review: This movie is utter nonsense done by leftist actors who hate the 2nd ammendment more than the people who actually kill people. Don't waste your time by watching this or any other left wing nonsense.
Rating: 
Summary: A lot more could have been done.
Review: I thought that this movie had an interesting story line and very good acting. I just thought that a lot more could have been done. It had more than its share of boring parts, and was ultimately easily forgetable.
Rating:
Summary: Big Departure
Review: A big departure from the book in an effort to push a political agenda and overlook personal responsibility. The film is only redeemed by the strong performances of the actors....
Rating:
Summary: BLATANT POLITICAL BIAS BUT GOOD DIRECTION BY GARY FLEDER
Review: This is a Gary Fleder film. I say that because I love the direction and production values in RUNAWAY JURY and Gary Fleder directed it. Of course, this flick is a total propaganda screed for the anti-gun lobby. It hardly pretends to present a balanced portrait of the gun debate. The evil characters are portrayed by Gene Hackman, the jury consultant for the gun lobby, and the greedy gun makers themselves. Okay, boys and girls, cartoon time! Dustin Hoffman plays the principled lawyer attempting to extract $100 million from the gun companies for his client. Oh, yeah, right! It's about crippling the gun industry, not about lining the pockets of attorneys and clients. Yep, sure! But, putting aside the blatant political bias of RUNAWAY JURY, I liked this movie -- until the last ten minutes when it became a hollow echo of BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE -- because of the strong direction of Gary Fleder and the tight script and the excellent cinematograhy plus super performances by Hackman and John Cusack who plays the runaway juror. But then I haven't seen a Cusack or Hackman film I didn't enjoy. I don't know whether to recommend this well-made propaganda vehicle or not. You decide.
Rating:
Summary: Great cast, good premise
Review: but ultimately what runs away isn't the jury, but any sort of cohesive plot. Shame, but it misses almost 100%
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time on this garbage
Review: I read the Grisham book on which this garbage film is based. It was several years between the time I read the book and when this film came out. Initially, I was wondering if I'd read the book by the same title.
Dramatic license does not even come close to describing the liberties the filmmaker took. The book dealt w/ big tobacco but, apparently, the screenwriter/director had an anti-gun axe to grind and substituted big tobacco w/ the firearm industry instead.
Needless to say I was very disappointed. Good performances by Gene Hackman and Bruce McGill; otherwise, a thoroughly forgettable film. Borrow the book from the library and save yourself the $9.00.
Rating:
Summary: Not very faithful to the book at all.
Review: Decent courtroom spectacle that is not faithful to the John Grisham book and makes a mockery of a serious subject. If it was grounded in reality, it would have been ok but it would rather play the good guys and bad guys' routine other than to face the problem of guns head on in a realistic way. The acting is the movie's only selling point with Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman giving superb performances that the film did not deserve and John Cusack doing a fairy decent job as well. It's an ok film but it could have been much better if they just been faithful to the book.
Rating:
Summary: "Truth, justice and the American way"
Review: The evil gun lobby is the target in the fast paced, and strongly acted Runaway Jury. And while the plot is mostly unbelievable, viewers will immediately be drawn to the film that begins with a terrible mass shooting. Filled with characters that most viewers will love to hate, director Gary Fleder, as woven a film that is slick, polished, and fast-paced fun that is suspenseful enough without relying on too many extraneous action scenes to carry the story.
The story takes up two years after the office shooting where a young attorney has been slain at the hands of a distraught ex-employee. His wife is suing the gun manufacturer for millions. A smarmy, malevolent Gene Hackman plays jury consultant Rankin Fitch, who spies on potential jurors with miniature cameras, tiny transmitters, banks of high resolution computers and a team of especially trained cohorts. Fitch has been hired by defendants for the evil gun lobby in a civil case to help them manufacture a jury that will be sympathetic to the defendant's cause. This involves searching all sorts of supposedly private databases for the secrets that will allow Fitch to blackmailing jurors. Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) is attorney for the wife. Together with Lawrence Green (Jeremy Piven) they try to outwit Fitch's deviousness.
Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) schemes his way onto the jury and its obvious that he's up to something. He and his partner, Marlee (a wonderful Rachel Weisz) is playing both ends against the middle. Nick's aim is to maneuver the jury from the inside while Marlee approaches Rohr and Fitch with an offer demanding money. The jury will rule to the highest bidder.
With a well-crafted script, Runaway Jury takes lots of twists and turns as each party tries to outwit each other. The movie is a feast for the eye as well as the mind combining the Lush photography, with the heady atmosphere of New Orleans' French Quarter. Hackman delivers an energetic, vitriolic performance; his contempt is deliciously malignant. Hoffman nails the hospitable charm that masks a will of steel. Cusack carries the show with spontaneous finesse, oozing casual charm and clever intelligence. And Weisz is suitably steely playing a woman with who has a secret to hide, and who never gives up. Runway Jury has a glossy, polished look, which elevates this pedestrian John Grisham story from movie melodrama to smart mystery thriller. This is good, solid Hollywood entertainment. Mike Leonard December 04.
|
