MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Jury’ not runaway winner, but still impressive
Grade: B+
I have always enjoyed John Grisham’s books, but some are much better than others. The same is true of the films made from his books. “The Client” was good, but I wouldn’t waste your time on “Rainmaker.” That said, “Runaway Jury” was one of the best Grisham adaptations Hollywood has concocted.
Sure the story is tweaked a bit (but aren’t all adaptations?). The trial now centers on illegal sales of semi-automatic weapons and not the whole smoking and lung cancer thing. Also, Dustin Hoffman’s character has a much larger part including a historic confrontation with Gene Hackman’s character. But most of these changes actually work better for the story when it is told on screen. The book works on page, but the screenwriters made some wise choices in variations when they adapted the material for the film.
The dynamic duo of Hackman and Hoffman were joined by Rachel Weisz and John Cusack as the scheming jury swayers. Cusack’s understated performance as slick-man Nick Easter was a great role to see him enact, and Weisz sheds her heroine vulnerability from “The Mummy” flicks to deliver a well-rounded, if somewhat flat performance as the mastermind behind the jury swaying plot.
Like all Grisham stories, this one is full of action, unexpected plot turns and his special knack for twisting the law into a veritable circus of contortionism and clowning around. Like an energetic ring master displaying his freaks for all to see, Grisham delves into the underworld of both lawyers and the secrets everyone harbors effectively running away with the audience. Grisham is a master story teller, and “Runaway Jury” is surprisingly harsh in the realities it portrays.
Although the film was centered on entertaining, you can’t help but leave the theater remembering tragedies like the Columbine shooting and questioning the way our Second Amendment right is both violated and protected. What you are left with is a dichotomy of opinions that never resolve themselves in the film. I wouldn’t dream of giving away which side in the epic court case walks out the winner, but it was eye-opening, to say the least, to hear other audience members discussing the verdict as they left the theater.
But regardless of whether you want a good, non-slasher thriller to watch or if you are looking for vindication on your stance on gun control, “Runaway Jury” is a great way to spend an evening as long as you let yourself go along for the ride. There are no peanuts, popcorn or balloons at this circus though – just the harsh realities of American law and the way we choose to interpret it.
Jared Sterzer is a senior majoring in business information systems. Comments can be sent to jwsterz@cc.usu.edu.