I'm not a John Grisham fan. I did sneak a peek at a friend's copy of "The Rainmaker", read about twenty pages filled with cliched characters, and I still can't figure out why his books sell millions. The movie version of "The Firm" was lacklustre, and I nearly nodded off during "The Pelican Brief". On the flipside, I enjoyed "A Time to Kill". So, it was with some apprehension that I tuned into "The Rainmaker" on cable. The fact that Francis Coppola directed it eased my worries a bit. "Apocalypse Now" was amazing, and the Godfather movies are classics. Coppola has a way of bringing out the best in even the most simplistic material. Matt Damon was the ideal choice to play the young, this-is-my-first-case-and-boy-am-I-scared lawyer who takes on a big insurance company. Mickey Rourke disappears too quickly as Damon's would-be mentor, but thankfully we have Danny DeVito around as a resourceful paralegal who shows Damon the ropes. There's an awkward subplot involving a battered wife (Claire Danes, unfortunately always sporting a fat lip or a black eye). Naturally, Damon feels sorry for her, and falls in love. Perhaps Grisham should have written a second book! No, let's not give him any ideas. The investigations leading to the big trial are well done, and Coppola does a great job setting up the courtroom battle. We can't help rooting for Damon as he fights to prove the insurance company's failure to pay a claim resulted in the death of a young man. It's not exactly "The Verdict". That movie was far more complex (and featured a superb performance from Paul Newman). Still, "The Rainmaker" delivers. And, I'm actually looking forward to seeing "The Chamber." Note to Hollywood: Why not give Grisham a rest, and make more movies from Scott Turow's novels? Just a thought.
Review of The Rainmaker
