Alicia I love this movie so much

Manthast Absolutely amazing

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

jimbo-53-186511 A newly-qualified wet-behind-the-ears lawyer Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon) and his partner Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito)are tasked with taking on insurance giant Great Benefit after they fail to pay out on a claim which could potentially save the life of their mutual client Donny Ray Black (Johnny Whitworth).The Rainmaker shares a bit in common with Pelican Brief (another Grisham novel). In both cases, an underdog fights against the big boys in their pursuit of justice - although to be honest I preferred this John Grisham adaptation to the Pelican Brief.It begins slowly, perhaps a little too slowly, but once it gets going it is a very good film. I think part of the problem with this film is that it sometimes lacks focus; the interesting part of the film is the main plot involving Baylor and Shifflet trying to take down Great Benefit, but the film has a sub-plot involving Baylor trying to protect Kelly Riker (Claire Danes) whom is a victim of domestic abuse. Whilst the sub-plot is quite touching and does help to endear us towards Rudy it ultimately feels unnecessary and seems like it's been tagged on just to create a love interest for Rudy. The very fact that it is completely unrelated to the rest of the story only reinforces this point, and at times it means that the film lacks focus and feels longer than necessary. The oddities in this film continue when we're introduced to Bruiser (Micky Rourke whom it took me a while to recognise to be honest). He's introduced early on and seems important to the story, but then disappears from the film with very little explanation??? Hmm... just seemed a bit strange to me.That being said, once we get to the meat of the film (the courtroom drama aspect) then it does become very enjoyable and this is the side of the film that makes it worth seeing. The performances from the main cast are all excellent; Damon is very convincing as a wet-behind-the ears laywer (he's actually almost too convincing). DeVito is OK, but Voight and Glover are both excellent - Glover in particular looks like he is having a lot of fun here.The Rainmaker is a bit of a plodder in its early stages and there are certainly aspects of it that don't really work, but the courtroom scenes in the second half of the film more than compensate for the shortcomings of the first half and the strong second half makes it worth the effort.

sol- Not your average John Grisham adaptation, 'The Rainmaker' features many typical Grisham elements as the plot involves an idealistic young lawyer taking on a corrupt insurance company, however, the tone here is wildly different from the likes of 'A Time to Kill', 'The Client' and 'The Pelican Brief' in the best possible way. Francis Ford Coppola is at the screen-writing and directing reigns this time and he spins a frequently funny comedy from the source material, with a bouncy Elmer Bernstein score, an absolutely hilarious scene in which insurance company lawyer Jon Voight grills a jury member under false pretences and kooky supporting characters galore. Matt Damon is very decent in the lead role, but Danny De Vito as his partner, Teresa Wright as Damon's landlady (who wishes to leave everything in her will to a televangelist!) and Mickey Rourke as a rogue lawyer named Bruiser (!) steal every scene that they are in. The film is arguably a bit too complicated for its own good with subplots left, right and centre that sometimes distract from the insurance agency scam at the heart of the movie; Damon also drones on for a bit too long about morality. If flawed, 'The Rainmaker' is still a delightful film for the most part and the comedy slant really works for the better. It allows us to see the lighter side of the legal profession and some of the absurdities of the legal system without ever trivialising the ability of human perseverance to tackle and take on insurance scams - plus of course the power of one motivated individual to make a difference.

LeonLouisRicci One of those David and Goliath Courtroom Dramas where it is never in doubt Who Wears the Black Hats or the White Hats. But it's Ultimately a Dual Universe, so Everything Starts There and the Nuances Follow, or not.It Resonates, this kind of Story. Just ask John Grisham. So Mega-Director Coppola takes it on and gives it a Bare Bones, No-Frills account using a Talented Cast and relies on the Power of the Story and a Slice of Lower Class Displays.There are some Quirky Characters to be sure. Mickey Rourke as a Greedy and Slimy Lawyer who gives Matt Damon (The Moral Center) His first job working strictly on commission. Danny Devito may be the Quirkiest as a Paralegal (flunked the Bar six times) but provides the Humor in the Rather Depressing Reality of the Commonplace of the Corrupt. He uncouthly motormouths through the Film with a Complex Moral Code and lots of ChutzpahJon Voight is the Villain who is Eclipsed in Evil Doings by a Cameo from the CEO of the Insurance Company and is nothing more than the Now Idle Rich, with a complete lack of Empathy, that sowed His Evil Ways and found it Pays. Other Well Known Actors show up in some Well Drawn Roles.The Movie received mixed results from Critics and Audiences. It was a Tad Familiar at the Time and seemed to be just another High Hollywood and Average Take on a Familiar Grisham Bestseller. But it is a Bit Deeper than that with its Subtle Display of Low-Income Folks who got caught in the Grindhouse of Corporate Greed and Loathsome Individuals.

juneebuggy This was really good, and I'm not usually one for the courtroom dramas but a gripping story (thanks to John Grisham) and filled with fantastic characters I genuinely liked and cared about.Matt Damon plays newbie attorney Rudy Baylor, who after a short stint working for the ethically challenged (Mickey Rourke) joins his new partner (Danny DeVito) to take on a large insurance company (Jon Voight & Roy Scheider) who refuse to pay valid claims. Damon is young, cute and ripped here (for some reason his weight changes with every movie he makes so I felt it deserved a mention) Anyways, the cast is fantastic and I loved that there were several story lines going on at once, all of which are interesting. This has moments of humour and honest emotion throughout even if it did head into the melodramatic a couple of times.Watching 'Rudy' struggle through his first days in court not really knowing the protocol was pretty funny and I enjoyed Danny Glover as the judge. The storyline following Claire Danes and her abusive husband was intense (lots of glass broken) and I liked his old lady landlord Birdie, who treated Rudy like a son and the gardener.Rudy genuinely cares about his clients and his relationship with leukemia boy was touching (in an 'Erin Brockovich' sort of way) while the inclusion of the silent grieving father, was powerful. Just a great movie I'm glad I caught. 1/28/15