TRIALS ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO BE DECIDED BY JURIES.
When a major gun manufacturer is brought to trial, the proceedings are instantly tainted because of a clever jury consultant (Gene Hackman) and a juror (John Cusack) with his own agenda. Another star-studded John Grisham extravaganza, featuring a story that is a liberal’s wet dream; the movie is propelled by its actors and sheer entertainment value. The trial is not what’s important here, but the jury; manipulation is the main theme and we’re never quite sure of what all the characters are up to. And that’s why it never gets dull. Watching Dustin Hoffman and Hackman as polar opposites is a pleasure; Cusack and Rachel Weisz also do their parts justice.
2003-U.S. 127 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Gary Fleder. Novel: John Grisham. Cast: John Cusack (Nick Easter), Gene Hackman (Rankin Fitch), Dustin Hoffman (Wendell Rohr), Rachel Weisz, Bruce Davison, Bruce McGill… Jeremy Piven, Jennifer Beals, Orlando Bloom. Cameos: Dylan McDermott, Luis Guzmán.