Delayed Reaction: A Civil Action

The Pitch: John Travolta is Erin Brockavich, without the boobs.

How I Came Into It: "Based on a true story" is one of the scariest things to see going into a movie. There's a constant pull between sticking to the facts and making it cinematic. There is no "perfect balance". The best you can hope for is that the things that work about it so completely eclipse the things that don't that it doesn't even matter. Luckily, I knew nothing about this actual case, so I chose to look at this a pure fiction.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) I enjoyed just about everything that was happening on the side in the movie. Robert Duvall is so at ease that I'd believe it if you told me that all he did is nap in between takes and didn't learn his lines until right before his scenes. I imagine the casting for The Judge saw him in this and learned all the wrong lessons from it. William H. Macy is in his own movie most of the time, but it works because he sells the hell out of it. Even James Gandolfini gets a lot to play in only a few scenes.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: The problem I had with this is with John Travolta. The movie never figures out what he is. He's a high powered lawyer, an ambulance chaser. He gets a speeding ticket driving to AND from the town. He's a rebel! Somehow, he switches to being all or nothing for this case, losing everything he owns for it. And he's content with that. The thing is, I have to believe it. Because, at no point did I feel close enough to the character to know what his actual motivation is. Is he a bleeding heart? Is hubris driving him? I don't know.
Also, apparently this movie cost close to $75 million to make, back in 1998. How is that possible? I have to assume all of the actors made an ass-ton of money. Otherwise, I don't get it.

Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend