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

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 6: Sideways

Director: Alexander Payne

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Runtime: 124 minutes

Year: 2004

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh

Description: Two men reaching middle age (Paul Giamattis, Thomas Hade Church) with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.

Review: When “Sideways” is released, director Alexander Payne is relatively unknown in Hollywood. He has made praiseworthy films “About Schmidt” and “Election”. “Sideways” is a great follow up. We follow two friends who spend a week in the Californian wine area. It’s a very simple set up, which results and a realistic and convincing film.

Jack is about to get married and takes his buddy Miles on a trip to the Californian wine area. It is his last week as a ‘free man’ and Jack takes that very seriously. The two are very different. Jack is an actor, mostly for commercials, a ladies man and someone who enjoys life to the fullest. Miles is a depressed newly divorced failed writer, who spends his days teaching English and enjoying wine.

As a real wine expert Miles wants to teach Jack to enjoy the perfect Pinot or Cabernet and protects him from cheap Merlot. Miles has it all planned out: a week of wine tasting, fine dining, a little golf and enjoying the nice weather. Off course the weekend goes a little different as planned, because Jack has set a goal to find a nice girl to have some fun with. And he wants Miles to do the same. They meet Maya and her friend Stephanie, both wine lovers as well. Jack and Stephanie have an instant connection, but Miles and Maya’s bond is of a different caliber.

“Sideways” is a beautiful drama, but also a delightful comedy. The balance between these two genres is perfect and none of it is overdone. A film that manages to make you feel for and with the characters for over two hours and you share their happiness and pain. “Sideways” is an endearing and honest film. Because the main characters are people you can relate to, so we’re all rooting for a happy ending. Director Payne manages to avoid certain clichés.

Paul Giamatti is great in “Sideways”. You just want to hug his character and tell him everything is going to be okay. Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh all perform very well.

“Sideways” is in a way a coming of age film, but then with men that are a little bit older. A definite must see.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 6: The Magic of Belle Isle

Director: Rob Reiner
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen, Kenan Thompson, Fred Willard, Kevin Pollack, Emma Fuhrmann, Madeline Carroll, Nicolette Pierini

Description: Monty Wildhorn (Morgan Freeman), an alcoholic novelist of Westerns, has lost his drive. His nephew (Kenan Thompson) pushes him to Summer in quiet Bell Isle. He begrudgingly befriends a newly single mom (Virginia Madsen) and her 3 girls who help him find the inspiration to write again.

Review: After “The Bucket List” (2007) director Rob Reiner and actor Morgan Freeman work together again. He plays the grumpy writer Monte WIldhorn. He spends the summer in Belle Isle, where his cousin Henry thinks he might have some time for writing new material. Monte spends most of his time drinking, but when he meets the young Finnegan, one of the neighbours daughters, we see Monte change and he finds his inspiration again.
Like almost every other time, Morgan Freeman shines in this movie. With his charming and calm way of acting he wins over all the hearts. Especially the conversations he has with the dog are a joy to watch. Emma Fuhrmann, who plays Finnegan, is a talent to watch. It’s a movie for any age and Rob Reiner made a beautiful movie with, off course, a message. And he doesn’t sugarcoat the story, which makes is as good as it is.

Rating: 4/ 5