John Grisham's The Rainmaker (Matt Damon, Danny DeVito)
Francis Ford Coppola is not exactly the first name that comes to mind when one hears tell of a John Grisham film adaptation. And yet, since every previous Grisham production has been agonizing to watch (The Pelican Brief and The Firm come to mind), the Rainmaker is a welcome pairing that works on several levels. It was a good project for Coppola to rebound from after having directed the Robin Williams fiasco Jack.
Like A Time To Kill, the film decidedly sets up some antagonists who we must disprove of. Here, the villains come in the form of health insurance executives who, under the direction of a wealthy CEO (Roy Scheider), summarily dismiss every claim that is issued within the first year of its activation. One of the company's thousands of customers is the very sick Donny Ray Black (Johnny Whitworth). His mother (Mary Kay Place) files several claims but they are all rejected. Enter some legal help in the form of young Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon). He's still getting his feet wet, but he and his mentor Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito) both recognize the potential for a big settlement from the company.
The Rainmaker brings a lot of court theatrics to its David and Goliath story, but because the characters are so inexperienced, the small victories take on a small but special importance of their own. Rudy actually lives in one of his client's garages in exchange for yardwork and Deck makes frequent trips to the hospital to eke out potential clients. Together, they learn to internalize the plights of the people they represent, and it gives them added dimension from traditional lawyer movies.
The film was released in 1997, the same year that Matt Damon swept Hollywood in Good Will Hunting. He was even nominated for best actor in that enormously over-hyped yawnfest. His performance here is much better, plus he is actually cast opposite an attractive woman (Claire Danes instead of Medusa Driver). There are some good supporting roles too, with Dean Stockwell and Danny Glover as sarcastic judges, Mickey Rourke as a legal bad hat named "Bruiser", and Jon Voight as the cocky defense attorney who can't seem to take even one step in the right direction.
The conclusion of the Rainmaker may be the most rewarding part. Following Rudy from his impoverished beginnings to the end, when he receives respect and acclaim, results in a feel-good moment. Then the story goes a little further and it tags on a more down-to-earth aftermath. It's just another example why this is an entertaining, thoughtful, funny and special movie.
