After a slew of predecessors, John Grisham's latest novel to be adapted into a feature film is the smart and well-acted thriller, "Runaway Jury." The star-studded cast, including Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, John Cusack and Rachel Weisz, effortlessly crafts a suspenseful and entertaining courtroom drama about gun control and the liability of major gun manufacturers.
Wendell Rohr (Hoffman) is the prosecuting attorney who takes on a monumental case against the gun industry. His client, Celeste Wood (Joanna Going), lost her husband two years earlier in a senseless act of violence and mayhem. She yearns to sue the gun manufacturer who recklessly sold countless guns to a repeat buyer, who, in return, supposedly sold them on the black market.
The defense attorney, Durwood Cable (Bruce Davison), hires a highly renowned and experienced juror consultant named Rankin Fitch (Hackman). He takes all the possible jurors and watches their every move. He follows them, watches them in societal interactions and learns everything there is to know about their political affiliation, religion, profession and sordid secrets. He instructs the D.A. on which jurors to select in order to ensure a victory for the gun manufacturer.
The situation, however, runs amiss when Nicholas Easter (Cusack) and his love interest Marlee (Weisz) begin to manipulate the jury and the entire court proceeding. Easter is selected to be a juror in this major trial, and, as a team, he and Marlee intend to sway the jury to the side of whichever attorney pays the most money. Their asking fee is $10 million.
The major distinction between the novel, "Runaway Jury," and the film is that Grisham tackles the tobacco industry, rather than a major gun manufacturer. While this is a substantial difference, it does not hinder the film from its main objective, and that is to create a seamless and entertaining courtroom thriller.
The acting in this film is truly "Runaway Jury's" selling point. Although the script and direction are both adequate, the assistance of such well-known actors pushes what could have been an ordinary film above the threshold of the genre. Each actor commands attention when onscreen, and the viewer's interest never falters.
That being said, Hackman's portrayal of Finch surely outshines his counterparts. His character demands him to be ruthless, manipulative and jaded, and Hackman surely rises to the occasion. He is used to being the man in control, and when he discovers that he is, instead, being outsmarted by a woman on the outside, he doesn't take it lightly. Finch wants control, and he will do whatever it takes to obtain it again.
One scene, in particular, illustrates Nicholas and Marlee's power over the jury. In a phone conversation the day before, she asks both Finch and Rohr if "they are feeling patriotic?" The next day in court, every juror remains standing after entering the courtroom and recites the Pledge of Allegiance. Thus, through both Nicholas' and Marlee's manipulation, they proved to both lawyers that they do have the capabilities to sway the jury to one side or the other. It is instances like this that causes both Finch and Rohr to take her seriously.
Hoffman is also very convincing in his role. The audience believes that he sincerely cares about the trial at hand. He is not just in it for the money. This reputable, yet ideal, outlook on life works in his favor. The viewer wants to respect him, and the film needs the viewer to trust his actions.
Both Cusack and Weisz are adequate in their respective parts, but they provide nothing exceptional or miraculous. They simply fulfill their necessary character traits. Nicholas is the sympathetic juror with a dark and manipulative edge, and Marlee is the sexy and confident negotiator calling the shots between the two legal sides.
The director, Gary Felder ("Imposter" and "Kiss the Girls"), sufficiently documents this film. There are no major flaws with his direction; however, he does not bring anything truly revolutionary or exceptional to the movie. He simply allows his actors and the script tell a great story.
All in all, "Runaway Jury," while straying from the original story, captures all of the cleverness and suspense of the novel. The actors create realistic characters that will keep the audience enthralled and attentive. "Runaway Jury" undoubtedly surpasses many of the other courtroom thrillers floundering in this genre.
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