90s Movie Review - The Rainmaker

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Jon Voight, Mickey Rourke, Danny Glover, Roy Scheider, Claire Danes, Dean Stockwell, Andrew Shue, Mary Kay Place, Virginia Madsen

Description: An underdog lawyer (Matt Damon) takes on a fraudulent insurance company.  

Review: Writer John Grisham is a star. A film adaptation of one of his legal thrillers guarantees commercial success. That must have been the motivation for Francis Ford Coppola. But with “The Rainmaker” he delivers a pretty standard courtroom drama.
John Grisham’s books have sold millions of copies worldwide, he is a very successful author. And many of his films have been turned into movies, also successfully. Films like “The Firm”, “The Client” and “The Chamber” are all movie I personally enjoyed, just as much as the books.
“The Rainmaker” centers around Rudy Baylor, a nearly graduated lawyer who haas the best interests of the correct person at heart. He is looking for work in Memphis, hoping to become a so-called ‘rainmaker’: a lawyer who makes the money. Both for the client and for himself, because in the U.S.A. a third of the compensation goes to the lawyer. Rudy initially starts at a little law firm ran by a freebooter who doesn’t take the law too seriously. as so-called ‘ambulance-chasers’, they sour hospitals looking for victims who might want to file a lawsuit against the instigators of the harm.
One of them is Mrs. Black, the mother of a young leukemia patient. She files a lawsuit against the insurance company Great Benefit, because it refuses to pay for an operation that could save her son’s life. Meanwhile Rudy decides to set up his own firm, along with colleague Deck Shifflet, a unlicensed lawyer who has failed his court exam several times. a battle ensues between Rudy and Great Benefit.
The film is structured very standard. There are some strong performances, because “The Rainmaker” has a great cast. But overall the film doesn’t have anything special to offer. It’s a solid film, just not the exciting.

Rating: 3/ 5

Oldies Movie Review - Jaws

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 124 minutes
Year: 1975
Starring: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, Jeffrey Kramer, Susan Backlinie, Jonathan Filley, Ted Grossman, Chris Rebello, Jay Mello, Lee Fierro, Jeffrey Voorhees, Craig Kingsbury, Robert Nevin, Peter Benchley

Description: When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief (Roy Scheider), a marine scientist (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled fisherman (Robert Shaw) set out to stop it.

Review: “Jaws” is a perfect adventure film, that is now a classic and one of the most successful films in movie history. “Jaws” had an enormous impact and it still holds up.

The movie is based on the book by Peter Benchley, that was a bestseller in 1973. In the book the small town Amity is ravaged by a series of shark attacks. Producers David Brown and Richard Zanuck thought it would make a great movie and the then 27-year-old Steven Spielberg was hired to direct.
“Jaws” follows three men, very different from each other, that try to hunt down the giant shark that causes all the trouble in Amity. First we have police chief Martin Brody, a New Yorker who was tired of all the violence in the big city. Now he is stationed in the small town of Amity, in New England. When a shark starts taking victims, Brody wants the beaches to be closed, but it’s summer season and the mayor doesn’t want all the tourists to leave. Brody gets help from oceanographer and shark expert Matt Hooper, who also doesn’t manage to convince the mayor. When more victims are claimed, the rough and harsh fisherman Quint is hired as well. The three of them try to catch and kill the shark.
Filled with suspense, humor, good acting and unforgettable music, “Jaws” should be on everyone’s “must-see” list. And in everyone’s collection. The film has an amazing buildup, where you see the actual shark when you’re about 45 minutes in. The element of not showing the shark, makes it even scarier and it will make you think twice about swimming in the ocean for a while. Even though the movie is from the 70s, and the effects are dated, “Jaws” still manages to give you the chills and scare you every single time. It holds up, even with those effects.
“Jaws” won three Academy Awards: montage, sound and music. That music, by John Williams, is one of the most recognizable themes in movie history. Even people who haven’t seen “Jaws” recognize it.
Let’s forget there were tree sequels (the second was acceptable, the rest is just terrible). “Jaws” is an ultimate classic, an enjoyable view every time.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 3: The French Connection

Director: William Friedkin
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Action
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 1971
Starring: Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey, Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi, Frederic de Pasquale, Bill Hickman, Ann Rebbot, Harold gary, Arlene Farber, Eddie Egan, Andre Ernotte, Sonny Grosso, Benny Marino, Patrick McDermott

Description: A pair of NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection.

Review: Popeye Doyle is a workaholic with a past. He traces a big drug transaction. Together with his partner Buddy Rosso he works day and night to catch the dealers. The find a Frenchman, who appears to be the big man behind this drug cartel. But “Frog One” (his nickname) knows the cops are after him. A dangerous cat and mouse game unravels.
The most legendary scene, and with that the best scene of the film, is a car chase. Where Doyle follows a train, because one of the men he wants to catch is on it.
The dialogues are mostly improvised and Gene Hackman is really strong in his role as Doyle. Director William Friedkin did a great job with “The French Connection”.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Favorites: Jaws

Synopsis: When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it.

 

 

Unique Selling Point: Probably the only really good shark movie ever made. It’s an absolute classic and it’s still scary after watching it many times. The build-up is great, that creates the tension and gives you scares. Even though it’s not timeless because of technique, no other shark movie will top “Jaws”.

Most Valuable Player: Composer John Williams, by making his music even scarier than the actual shark.

Best Moment: The opening scene, with Chrissy who decides to go skinny dipping. Not a good idea!