Product Details

• Actors: Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Colin Friels, Joanna Merlin, Laurence Fishburne
• Directors: Michael Apted
• Writers: Carolyn Shelby, Christopher Ames, Samantha Shad
• Producers: Carolyn Shelby, Christopher Ames, Kim Kurumada, Robert W. Cort
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Surround), French (Dolby Surround), Spanish (Mono)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: February 1, 2005
• Run Time: 109 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0006HBZBA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,565 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Class Action" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Taut and emotionally powerful, Michael Apted's compelling showdown courtroom drama is driven by characters as intriguing as its predicament. The only thing Jedediah Tucker Ward and his daughter have in common is law. Equally brilliant, equally driven, t

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Moving November 4, 2001

By Hugo Dart

Format:VHS Tape

This is an extraordinary drama in which father and daughter (both lawyers) with big emotional issues have a face-off in the courtroom.
Aside from a very well-constructed plot and competent direction by Michael Apted, the performances delivered by the actors are quite impressive. The supporting cast is very good, especially Jan Rubes (Alexander Pavel).
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio shows great maturity in a challenging role - and the fact that she is stunningly beautiful does not hurt.
And what about that Gene Hackman? What a brilliant actor. Watching him feels like a real privilege. Don't you miss the chance of doing it.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Family Drama Set in a Courtroom April 1, 2005

By William D. Shingleton

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

There are really two kinds of lawyer films out there; the kind that is about the trial and the kind that is about the lawyers; this film is about the lawyers and the family drama of a father and daughter pitted against each other in a class action lawsuit. The film is well constructed and acted, though there is the occasional corny dialoge in the father-daughter scenes that could have been written much stronger.

The father (played by Gene Hackman) is a crusading support-the-little-guy type, but he is not without his warts and particularly not without the consequences of his giant ego. Hackman is perfect in this role and gives his character the depth it deserves. Mary Elizabeth Masterantonio plays the daughter and is really the center of the film since it is her evolution more than Hackman's that drives the plot. She more than holds her own against a much more experienced actor and gives the film credibility.

There are a few witty remarks in the film but I can't say that the dialogue crackles; since this is not an action film, the dialogue is how the film moves along, so that's a shame. But the plot is enthralling and takes a few unexpected twists at the end; combined with the solid cast (this was shot so long ago that Fred Dalton Thompson was not yet a senator and Lawrence Fishbourne is listed as Larry) it makes the film engaging and certainly worth the low price of this DVD.

The DVD itself is disappointing and carries no special features to speak of (trailers for this film and other movies DO NOT count as special features, at least in my opinion). The only reason to get the DVD versus the tape is that it's easier to find and will hold up better over time....

The bottom line is that this is a solid, well acted film whose David versus Goliath, Inc theme rings even more true in the post-Enron universe than it did when the film first came out. Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling Courtroom Drama December 12, 1999

By Bill Windsor

Format:VHS Tape

Best courtroom drama movie I have ever seen. Performances of Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are superb as father and daughter attorneys on opposite sides of an automobile accident case. The story pits big-corporation corporate attorney (Mastrantonio) against small-time scrappy class-action attorney (Hackman). But the highlight is the intra-family dynamics between father, mother, and daughter, which are superbly developed as the tension of the lawsuit case unfolds. The screenwriting is excellent, handling characters from attorneys to family to scientists, plus powerful revelations in the final courtroom scene. You will say, "Wow" at the end.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Class Action May 21, 2000

By Evelyn P. Banks

Format:VHS Tape

This is one of the best movies that I have watched. My college instructor compared it to some instruction he was doing in class. Five of 25 students had seen the movie and agreed that it was a perfect example of what we were studying. I was trying to purchase it so that all the class could view it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable & highly underrated. Where is the DVD? July 15, 2004

By A Customer

Format:VHS Tape

This is a very enjoyable movie, and one of the best in the legal drama genre. Gene Hackman is typically brilliant, mixing humor and anger in the most believable and human way. This was the first time I saw Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who proves herself a very capable actress, never once seeming overpowered by Hackman. She's also stunningingly beautiful (which has nothing to do with acting, but it doesn't hurt). Laurence Fishburn also puts in a powerful supporting role, as does the city of San Francisco, which always looks beautiful and inviting on film and this is no exception. The only thing missing is a DVD version. It's almost become a cliche to ask, with all the garbage that's released on DVD, how can so many great movies languish for so long on VHS, utterly ignored by the studios? Who knows. But if you still own a VCR, this movie is highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-acted but sappy unrealistic ending September 27, 2009

By Roger J. Buffington TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very good film, but it is fatally flawed from a realism standpoint. The gimmick of this film, of course, is the notion that opposing lead counsel on two sides of a huge civil litigation case would ever pit father against daughter. No client would stand for it, and this film shows why they should not. The ending is unrealistic, and while it may comport with Hollywood's notion of justice and doing the right thing, any lawyer has to be aghast as to this conclusion.

The sappy family angle in this film detracted from what could have been a better film. What saves this one from a three-star rating is the first rate portrayal of courtroom tactics and the discovery battles between the law firms. Both are startlingly accurate (in total contrast with the ending--no spoilers here) and I enjoyed this part of the film immensely. RJB.