The Rainmaker

As carefully constructed, handsomely crafted and flavorsomely acted as a top-of-the-line production from Hollywood's classical studio era, Francis Ford Coppola's screen version of John Grisham's The Rainmaker would seem to represent just about all a filmmaker could do with the best-selling author's patented dramatic formulas without subverting them altogether.

Drawing a parade of colorful performances from a constantly surprising cast, the curiously titled ''John Grisham's 'The Rainmaker' '' is Mr. Coppola's best and sharpest film in years.

Coppola again shines his intelligence on this bestseller material, rather than just shoving it through the Hollywood mill unsifted.

The intelligence and subtlety of The Rainmaker took me by surprise. I don't know if this is because the novel is better than any of the prolific lawyer-turned-author's previous efforts, or if Francis Ford Coppola has performed a near-miracle in transforming the written pages into a screenplay.

Overall, not a great film, but definitely worth a viewing, especially to those who have seen any other Coppola film released this decade.

Francis Ford Coppola has turned John Grisham's pulpy bestseller into surprisingly creditable -- if morally muddled -- movie.

John Grisham's The Rainmaker lulls you into the mindset you get while reading a bestseller at the beach. What a sad thing to say about a Francis Ford Coppola movie!

+Great cinematography +Excellent cast +Screenplay offers depth -Soundtrack seems too present at times -Run-of-the-mill plot ideas The rainmaker is another wonderfully textured Copolla film with an engaging court room drama setting. The cast deliver great performances and the films pacing, editing and cinematography is superb. For the downside...I feel I am fond of the less-is-more approach to film scores (with a few notable exceptions!)... and although the screenplay itself is excellent, the downside is that the plot isn't anything particularly genre defining or mould breaking.

This starts out like it is going to be something special, with Damon playing a young Memphis lawyer starting to make his way in the world, dealing with sleaze-buckets and amusing side characters (Danny DeVito, who is great here, and Teresa Wright). He helps out a young woman who is being seriously abused by her husband, and a family whose insurance company is denying their son life-saving care. Unfortunately the story then takes a turn into bathos and cliched courtroom drama. Good acting all around helps to keep it watchable.

Make It Rain As Promised. The Rainmaker Coppola's courtroom drama has managed to engulf the essence of Grisham's novel aptly, a but cheesy, a big edgy, this film reclaims the darkness of the courtroom with a commercial angle. As far as both the novel and the adapted screenplay is concerned, it is dipped in plethora of cliches, a street smart supporter, a stereotypical corrupt lawyer clashing horns against a newbie and an evil antisocial antagonist fabricated as a behemoth untouched firm. And with these familiar elements comes seen-this-seen-that conflicts and solutions, a bug on a phone, a hidden witness, few typical Grisham insights on not-so-popular laws and tricks that are just anticipated and also enjoyed. But with these uneasiness and easiness, Coppola gets you right where he wants you to be, his execution helps up the stakes, like when Damon's deposition goes wrong and when he fumbles in the courtroom. These are the moments elevated by both the execution and the performance and Damon at charge, he feels more comfortable in this suit than Cruise ever did on "The Firm". Supported by DeVito who is the surprise package that is both delightful and exhilarating to encounter while teaching a new manual to Damon as he steps out to the college door. Personally, I felt Voight was not stretching his muscles out as expected but felt constrained in his suit to the mere pawn-ness of his game. Among many subplots, Danes's spooky track that teases you for its trajectory adds a more exonerated note to both the characters and the viewers and shines a mature light. As always, the last act often comes off as a cheap but essential shot that preaches on high volume in a podium staged way too above for us to care. The Rainmaker is good as far as it accepts its territories, as soon as it attempts to aviate, the flight grows risky.

Good acting from Damon and DeVito as expected and good directing from Coppola as expected. However, at the end of the day, the film does nothing to rise above your typical courtroom drama. In addition, as the film gets into the swing of things, it's quite slow and certainly did not need to be over 2 hours long.