IMDb > A Civil Action (1998)
A Civil Action
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A Civil Action (1998) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 34 | slideshow) Videos (see all 2)
A Civil Action (1998) -- The families of children who died sue two companies for dumping toxic waste: a tort so expensive to prove, the case could bankrupt their lawyer.
A Civil Action (1998) -- MovieMaze.de - Trailer (Quicktime)

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Overview

User Rating:
6.4/10   13,405 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Jonathan Harr (book)
Steven Zaillian (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Civil Action on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
8 January 1999 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Justice has its price.
Plot:
The families of children who died sue two companies for dumping toxic waste: a tort so expensive to prove, the case could bankrupt their lawyer. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(17 articles)
‘From Paris with Love’ Red Band Trailer
 (From Screen Rant. 17 September 2009, 10:16 AM, PDT)

Gibson's Payback
 (From Studio Briefing - Film News. 9 February 1999)

User Comments:
Well made drama about the more important things more (169 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some strong language.
Runtime:
115 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Steven Zaillian adapted the screenplay with nobody else but Robert Duvall in mind for the role of Jerome Facher. more
Goofs:
Continuity: At the meeting in the hotel where Jan asks for $300+ million, Cheeseman begins calculating the figures on a pad of paper with his left hand. A cut to an over-the-shoulder shot shows him writing the figures with his right hand. more
Quotes:
Jerome Facher: What's your take?
Jan Schlichtmann: They'll see the truth.
Jerome Facher: The truth? I thought we were talking about a court of law. Come on, you've been around long enough to know that a courtroom isn't a place to look for the truth.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Hard Workin' Man more

FAQ

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful.
Well made drama about the more important things, 27 January 2001
Author: MisterWhiplash from United States

John Travolta gives a pretty good performance here in Steve Zaillan's (scripter of Schindler's List) Civil Action as a hot shot lawyer who gets a case of people in a small town poisoned by the local water. Then the lawsuit begins, though we learn more here than any Grisham film. A film about being humane and trying to do the right thing over money. The entire supporting cast is a big boost, including Robert Duvall as the opposing attorney, William H. Macy, Tony Shalhoub as Travolta's attorney's, Kathleen Quinlann who is the heart of the movie and James Gandolfini as a resident. A

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The final scene (***Spoiler alert***) puffin88
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Legal Malpractice -- Spoiler anfeargal
Edward Herrmann, Harry Dean Stanton, Bryan Greenberg... goldenaxeband
Facher's Tactics to avoid in court exelzior
Why is Jan broke at the end? correo-8
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