Synopsis
Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.
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Cast
- John TravoltaJan Schlichtmann
- Robert DuvallJerome Facher
- Tony ShalhoubKevin Conway
- William H. MacyJames Gordon
- Zeljko IvanekBill Crowley
- Bruce NorrisWilliam Cheeseman
- John LithgowJudge Walter J. Skinner
- Kathleen QuinlanAnne Anderson
- Peter JacobsonNeil Jacobs
- Mary MaraKathy Boyer
Recommendations
- 90
Newsweek
Zaillian's meaty movie, at once bleak and hopeful, speaks volumes about the maddening distance between justice and the justice system. - 90
New Times (L.A.)
Not just another lawyer movie, but rather one of the most striking dramas of the year. - 80
Los Angeles Times
Comes close, achingly close, to greatness. - 80
Time
A smart, tough, yet curiously moving film. - 75
ReelViews
A courtroom drama which is sufficiently different and thought-provoking that I can recommend it with a clear conscience. - 70
Variety
A solid and intelligent legal thriller that may be too complex in its issues, and too low-key and unexciting in its style, for today's market demands. - 67
Austin Chronicle
The underlying problem is the mainstream film format's length constraints, which seem to have forced a rude bowdlerization of the story. - 60
Film.com
All the ingredients are here for both a smashing courtroom drama and a legitimate tearjerker, but the film ultimately doesn't have the technique or the heart to deliver either.
