Rating: 
Summary: Great Movie, Fair Disc
Review: The Rainmaker 2.35:1/Dolby Digital 5.1 Paramount PicturesThe first adaptation of a John Grisham tale that I've really enjoyed, "The Rainmaker", directed by Francis Ford Coppola, looks at the life of a poor young Southern lawer, Rudy Baylor(Matt Damon, in a great performance) as he battles against an insurance company and it's staff of lawers(led by Jon Voight). Baylor is battling for Donny Ray Black, a young man who's insurance claims have been turned down time and time again; Kelly Riker(Claire Danes), who lives in continuing fear of her abusive husband and Miss Birdie, an older woman who simply wants to keep her money from her greedy offspring. This is really the best of the Grisham adaptations and I'm fairly positive it's the hand of director Coppola that has it rising above the rest; the film is crowd-pleasing sure, but it's also very smart and very well acted, with a lot of rich dialogue and some very interesting and entertaining characters. Danny Devito, as Damon's aid, has a lot of fun in a great performance; like in "LA Confidential", we're seeing Devito as his absolute peak lately. He's been picking bigger and especially, much better roles lately. Matt Damon's first major performance in this film is also very well done, yet another in his line of subtle, wonderful performances along with "Courage Under Fire" and "Good Will Hunting." Much like Damon's last film "Rounders", I also thought his narration in this film was well done and well written(by Michael Herr) Overall, it's an excellent film, well directed, acted and written. It's a well-told tale by Ford Coppola and it's highly entertaining. "The Rainmaker" was one of my picks for the top 10 films of 1997. The DVD: Picture: Well, where there's good, there's also bad. It's unfortunate that Paramount did an unsatisfactory job with this disc. Colors are not terribly well defined or vibrant; contrast is only fair; the whole disc looks, to my eyes, like an "okay" laserdisc would. There is definitely a noticeable amount of pixelization and some shimmering. It makes a point I was talking about with another person a couple of weeks ago all the more apparent to me. I said, "the best DVD material will absolutely blow your mind; at worst, it'll make you shrug your shoulders and say, 'well, that's sort of okay' ". "The Rainmaker" simply made me shrug my shoulders in dissapointment. It's probably the least impressive picture transfer in my collection of discs, and that's too bad since this is really a great film that deserves a great disc. In a time where Tristar is making discs that look as good as "Godzilla", there's no excuse for a film that's not terribly old like "The Rainmaker" to look like this. It looked this way on my Panasonic A110. Hopefully, although I highly doubt it, people will have better luck on other players. Audio:Pretty good. It's definitely a dialogue film, backed by a nice, subtle score. Both are well recorded and pleasant to listen to. Nothing terribly mind-blowing. Again, the annoying problem is still there; you can not switch the audio during the film, only from the menu. Try during the film and you're out of luck. Menus: Very weak. The picture on the front of the box with some simplistic bordering and big, dull buttons. Extras:Nothing. No 16x9, No Trailer, Not A Thing. Absolutely zero. Overall: It's a great film and if you liked the film as much as I did, it's worth a purchase at some of the very low prices found on the internet, but after watching this disc, I would *definitely* not pay full price for it. If you're considering it, I'd highly suggest a rental first, unless you like the movie itself as much as I did. Film:**** Picture:* 1/2 Audio:** 1/2 Extras:Zero Menus:Zero Overall Disc Quality:**
Rating: 
Summary: Rain Drops Keep Fallin' On My Head...
Review: Based on author John Grisham's best seller of the same name, The Rainmaker, is a film that is solid--for sure. But I do have a few minor issues with it nonetheless Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon), an inexperienced Memphis lawyer is looking for work. He takes a job at a very small legal office and is teamed with Deck Schifflet (Danny DeVito). The pair must defend a leukemia victim against an insurance company and its hotshot lawyer Leo Drummond (Jon Voight). Through a chance encounter Rudy also befriends Kelly Riker, (Claire Danes) an abused woman, wanting to help her escape her husband's (Andrew Shue) wrath. To be honest, I have never read the book, therefore I was depending on well known writer/director Francis Ford Coppola, to get me through. Damon gives an effective performance as Baylor, DeVito makes a fine and fun sidekick, and watching Voight as the "heavy" is cool...especially going toe to toe with Damon. The classic theme of "David and Goliath" has been done before--but here, there's something more to it. Quite frankly though, as good as Danes can be, I could have done without her subplot. It takes away from the central story and boggs down the movie. It may have worked out better in the book (?) but doesn't relate all that well to the rest of it. And is sooo TV movie of the week-ish. At least the subplots in most other Grisham thrillers related to the central story--not here. In the extras department, The Rainmaker fails miserably. Heck, you don't even get to see the theatrical trailer, sheesh. Coppola is known for his Godfather extras, so, I know he can do it...I would like to have heard how the film measures up to its source material. Problems aside, The Rainmaker is good solid entertainment, worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: Best of old and new
Review: The story line of John Grisham's Rainmaker comes to screen life through the creative genius of Coppola, and unlike some of his films which are far from where I live, such as The Godfather (although very truistic), this film is one I can relate to and which could touch the life of many of us. Matt Damon's character, Rudy Baylor, is believable and represents the heart of many young men and women who start their law practice with high ideals, moral values and integrity. His quiet wisdom holds up well when pitted with the arrogance of a Leo Drummond-type lawyer, a man whose moral and ethical values were leeched from him long ago. Although there is light foul language, it is refreshing to see a film where one does not have to wince constantly from the onslaught of gutter language and unclothed people! Danny Glover walked the high moral ground in this film as well and gave a stunning performance as always. I was delighted to see the incomparable Teresa Wright as Miss Birdie, (catch her in "Mrs Miniver" starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon from the B&W WWII movie years, what a treasure!) She played the part to perfection, "cut, cut, cut." Claire Danes, an excellent actress for one so young, played the part of an abused young woman to a "T" with the low-key type personality so prevalent in one who has been cowed into submission way too many times. With an abusive childhood himself, Rudy had to save her. (Loved Danes in Les Miserables and Little Women!) Mary Kay Place always shines, but her portrayal of a mom whose son is dying needlessly touches my mother's heart. Funny Danny Devito, funny... I give the Rainmaker high marks! If you like real life movies, watch this or you could be Great Benefit's next victim.
Rating:
Summary: The Rainmaker- Worthwhile for All
Review: Adapted from a novel by John Grisham, The Rainmaker details the life of a young and poor lawyer, Rudy Baylor. Based in the South, Baylor takes on several cases: a young man battling leukemia (and the Great Benefits healthcare provider), an elderly wealthy woman revising her will, and a married woman suffering domestic violence. Donny Ray Black's case serves as the central storyline for The Rainmaker, though the movie follows Baylor and his interactions with all his clients and legal staff. Rudy Baylor serves as an exception to the legal system as a whole, and is portrayed as a man who is genuinely concerned for the well being of his clients. The Rainmaker is a well directed and acted film. Its characters, plot, and situations make the video both educational and entertaining to watch. Matt Damon, who plays Rudy Baylor, is at his best. The supporting roles played by Danny Devito (Deck Schifflet) and Claire Danes (Kelly Riker) add to the moving storylines. The most fascinating aspect of the movie, however, is its exploration of the legal ethics. The audience is encouraged to form their own opinions of the principles within the legal system from The Rainmaker's plot. Though Rudy Baylor becomes too involved with his cases, he teaches the viewers an important lesson about legal careers and life in general: that people respond to those who care. Baylor experiences both criticism and praise in his cases, and ultimately, he accomplishes several important tasks- overcoming the fraudulent Great Benefits health insurance company, freeing Riker from abuse within her marriage, and developing a trusting relationship with the older woman. The Rainmaker is both a worthwhile and thought-provoking film that explores the legal system and ethics while absorbing the interest of the film's audience.
Rating:
Summary: This is Damon's show.
Review: Matt Damon was a relative unknown when he was tapped to play the hero of "The Rainmaker", based on a novel by John Grisham & directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was a twist of fate that launched Damon's career and definitely lifted this movie. (Ironically, Matthew McConaughey got his start the same way- being an unknown cast in a movie based on a Grisham novel.) The plot is a classic David-vs-Goliath story- fresh out of law school Matt Damon sues an insurance company for denying treatment to a family with cancer. Ultimately Damon triumphs- the righteous cause succees and the system works. Damon is a major talent, as evidenced by his performance in this film. He's shy, unsure of himself, but basically a good person committed to doing what's right. I wasn't too impressed by the rest of the cast- Claire Danes is a talented actress but fails to shine here. Danny DeVito is okay as Damon's law partner, and Jon Voight comes across as a none-too-interesting arrogant villain. The rest of the cast? Nobody stands out- this is Damon's show. What impressed me about "The Rainmaker" was its hard, unflinching portrayal of the legal profession. A lawyer's life is not glamorous and does not necessarily guarantee a huge paycheck. Those quick to criticize lawyers ought to take some law courses before they open their mouths- the road to becoming a lawyer is rough and a considerable commitment of both your time and financial resources. Despite his law degree, Damon's financial picture at the beginning of the film is decidedly precarious. Watch "The Rainmaker" along with "A Civil Action" and "Erin Brockovich" to get a pretty good idea about the way the law works & how courts give the little people an avenue to even up with big shots like corporations and insurance companies. Watch this movie in particular to see a terrific performance from Matt Damon.
Rating:
Summary: Best Ever Adaptation of a Grisham Novel to the Big Screen
Review: As is typically the case, I read the excellent novel by John Grisham before watching this motion picture. As is not typically the case, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Francis Ford Coppola should be one of only a few directors even allowed to direct a big screen version of a Grisham novel (and they should keep Sidney Pollak the hell away from them)! This movie abounds with excellent performances from Matt Damon, Jon Voight, Mickey Rourke, Claire Danes, Danny Glover, & Danny DeVito. Coppola and the cast clearly got their mojo working on this one. The only reason I gave this picture 4 stars instead of 5 is that it failed to include Grisham's portrayal of Rudy Baylor in his last year of law school and the breakup of the firm in which he thought he had a secure future. It also doesn't do a very good job of telling us how Rudy met Miss Birdie to begin with (again, read the book). This novel came out just as I finished law school, and my wife thought that Rudy's early struggles really made the book. I agree with her. Coppola settled for a really good movie when he could have made a great one instead.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Fair Disc
Review: The Rainmaker 2.35:1/Dolby Digital 5.1 Paramount Pictures The first adaptation of a John Grisham tale that I've really enjoyed, "The Rainmaker", directed by Francis Ford Coppola, looks at the life of a poor young Southern lawer, Rudy Baylor(Matt Damon, in a great performance) as he battles against an insurance company and it's staff of lawers(led by Jon Voight). Baylor is battling for Donny Ray Black, a young man who's insurance claims have been turned down time and time again; Kelly Riker(Claire Danes), who lives in continuing fear of her abusive husband and Miss Birdie, an older woman who simply wants to keep her money from her greedy offspring. This is really the best of the Grisham adaptations and I'm fairly positive it's the hand of director Coppola that has it rising above the rest; the film is crowd-pleasing sure, but it's also very smart and very well acted, with a lot of rich dialogue and some very interesting and entertaining characters. Danny Devito, as Damon's aid, has a lot of fun in a great performance; like in "LA Confidential", we're seeing Devito as his absolute peak lately. He's been picking bigger and especially, much better roles lately. Matt Damon's first major performance in this film is also very well done, yet another in his line of subtle, wonderful performances along with "Courage Under Fire" and "Good Will Hunting." Much like Damon's last film "Rounders", I also thought his narration in this film was well done and well written(by Michael Herr) Overall, it's an excellent film, well directed, acted and written. It's a well-told tale by Ford Coppola and it's highly entertaining. "The Rainmaker" was one of my picks for the top 10 films of 1997. The DVD: Picture: Well, where there's good, there's also bad. It's unfortunate that Paramount did an unsatisfactory job with this disc. Colors are not terribly well defined or vibrant; contrast is only fair; the whole disc looks, to my eyes, like an "okay" laserdisc would. There is definitely a noticeable amount of pixelization and some shimmering. It makes a point I was talking about with another person a couple of weeks ago all the more apparent to me. I said, "the best DVD material will absolutely blow your mind; at worst, it'll make you shrug your shoulders and say, 'well, that's sort of okay' ". "The Rainmaker" simply made me shrug my shoulders in dissapointment. It's probably the least impressive picture transfer in my collection of discs, and that's too bad since this is really a great film that deserves a great disc. In a time where Tristar is making discs that look as good as "Godzilla", there's no excuse for a film that's not terribly old like "The Rainmaker" to look like this. It looked this way on my Panasonic A110. Hopefully, although I highly doubt it, people will have better luck on other players. Audio:Pretty good. It's definitely a dialogue film, backed by a nice, subtle score. Both are well recorded and pleasant to listen to. Nothing terribly mind-blowing. Again, the annoying problem is still there; you can not switch the audio during the film, only from the menu. Try during the film and you're out of luck. Menus: Very weak. The picture on the front of the box with some simplistic bordering and big, dull buttons. Extras:Nothing. No 16x9, No Trailer, Not A Thing. Absolutely zero. Overall: It's a great film and if you liked the film as much as I did, it's worth a purchase at some of the very low prices found on the internet, but after watching this disc, I would *definitely* not pay full price for it. If you're considering it, I'd highly suggest a rental first, unless you like the movie itself as much as I did. Film:**** Picture:* 1/2 Audio:** 1/2 Extras:Zero Menus:Zero Overall Disc Quality:**
Rating: 
Summary: A small letdown
Review: When this movie was brand new, there was a commercial on television proclaiming The Rainmaker as "Coppola's best film since The Godfather." And me, not knowing anything about anything, actually believed it. Sure, Coppola's style is intact here, but it feels very wattered-down and shallow compared to his masterpieces of the past. The story moved along quite well, despite the various holes in the story. The characters seem genuine and developed (accept for Damon's, but I'll get to that in a mintue), but there is very little here to engage you, to make you think "wow, that was an incredible film from Coppola!" when it's over. When I watched The Rainmaker, I thought of the movies Coppola made after The Godfather: The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now. Every single one of those blows The Rainmaker to bits. But you really can't blame him. Ever since he nearly went broke in the late 1970s, Coppola has had to make some artistically-declined movies in order to earn some money. And a John Grisham adaptation seemed to be a sure bet. Matt Damon as Rudy Baylor: they might as well have hired a cardboard cutout of any actor to sit in for the lead role. Damon remained expressionless and is barely challenged throughout the entire picture. In other words, he was way too flawless. Rudy Baylor almost comes across as a totally unfeasible hero in this portrayal. In summary, The Rainmaker had countless chances to have a heavier impact on the viewer, but non were taken. Instead, it just traveled down the middle of the road until it was over. Normally, I wouldn't make a fuss about this. But considering the man who directed it and knowing what he is capable of leads to a massive disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Ahh...it's all right
Review: This is the film that proved my theory: Claire Danes is not leading lady material. She is better as a supporting role. Her acting style is repetitious and draggy. Matt Damon was terrific as usual. Too bad they didn't find him a fitting love interest. Danny DeVito is a hoot. There are a lot of famed cameos in the film. I'm not into lawyer films so I found it rather boring and slow at times. If you're into these kinds of films, you may enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: one of Damon's best roles
Review: Damon plays young and dashing Rudy Baylor who gets to work on a case that involves a sickridden boy and Baylor goes up against the powerful Jon Voight and his team. Damon also stars alonside Danny Glover, Dean Stockwell, Claire Danes, Danny DeVito, Johny Withworth, Mickey Rourke and Virginia Madsen. this is a great drama with intense moments including Damon's fight scene with Danes' boyfriend and Damon ends up killing him but bashing his face in with a baseball bat. one of 1997's best and surely another worthy role for Damon
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