Like lots of upper-medium quality screen adaptations of best-seller thrillers (The Pelican Brief, if only for one instance), i find myself watching this one every time it airs. There truly is enjoyment to be had from the high profile acting of Hackman, Weisz AND Cusack (maybe he's rarely mentioned in the previous comments because what he does is not spectacular; I find it hugely effective nevertheless). I don't think of this as a masterpiece, but, still, as a movie that keeps your attention - and tells many a little tale about humble people's problems (I find the jury quite believable, EVEN with all the admittedly too numerous loose ends). There is rhythm, the actor's performances are captured so we can enjoy them, I rather like the cinematography.
Now, as a fan of Grisham's best works, I'm warmly recommending to anyone who hasn't read the book to do so: it tells you 10 if not 100 times more about the characters (in the book, the "bad corporation" is the tobacco industry, but considering this film doesn't claim to achieve more than good entertainment with a plus, the choice of shifting to the gun lobby works just fine), about the ambiguity and problematics involved accusing the manufacturer of a product for what happens to people who use them, and about the ways people like Finch (played by Hackman) use to get what they are commissioned to do, the ruthlessness when money's involved... and about justice being thoroughly human and far from flawless, subject to a lot of considerations other than sorting out right from wrong.
Grisham has written a couple of books that blend entertainment and information masterfully, this is one of them; the movie takes what it wants from the book and almost creates a new story - and rather succeeds doing so! Recommendable entertainment for sure. For my ongoing pleasure watching it, rather than a seven, I ended up giving it an 8 !
Now, as a fan of Grisham's best works, I'm warmly recommending to anyone who hasn't read the book to do so: it tells you 10 if not 100 times more about the characters (in the book, the "bad corporation" is the tobacco industry, but considering this film doesn't claim to achieve more than good entertainment with a plus, the choice of shifting to the gun lobby works just fine), about the ambiguity and problematics involved accusing the manufacturer of a product for what happens to people who use them, and about the ways people like Finch (played by Hackman) use to get what they are commissioned to do, the ruthlessness when money's involved... and about justice being thoroughly human and far from flawless, subject to a lot of considerations other than sorting out right from wrong.
Grisham has written a couple of books that blend entertainment and information masterfully, this is one of them; the movie takes what it wants from the book and almost creates a new story - and rather succeeds doing so! Recommendable entertainment for sure. For my ongoing pleasure watching it, rather than a seven, I ended up giving it an 8 !