Being a Grisham fan, I am always sceptical of films made from his books. As with any translation of literature to the silver screen, there is always a danger of losing the essence of the story. The Rainmaker has managed to avoid this danger, and captured the drama which Grisham is so famous for. Director Francis Ford Coppola carries much weight with his past projects, such as The Godfather trilogy (1972-1990) and Apocalypse Now (1979), but his intimate portrayal of this underdog-courtroom story is worthy of praise.
Plot-wise, anyone who has read a Grisham book will not be surprised. Matt Damon plays young lawyer Rudy Baylor, whose inexperience and incorruptible morals land him in the trial of his life. Baylor is the prosecution lawyer for the Black family, whose son Donny Ray is dying of cancer. When Donny Ray was diagnosed with his condition, the Black's medical insurance company refused to pay out, hence the court case. So now, Baylor must transcend his inexperience and take on the corporate giants and their team of expensive lawyers, headed by Leo F. Drummond (Jon Voight). What ensues is a courtroom drama filled with secrets, despair and heroism, as well as the personal journey of Rudy Baylor.
As a fan of courtroom films, The Rainmaker would fail to make my top 5, simply for not having much of a social commentary attached to it. It is, however, and excellent film with great performances, and a solid plot. Coppola evokes the nature of the Memphis setting, as well as the harsh reality of modern legal warfare.
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