Customer Reviews

Rainmaker [VHS]

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The Rainmaker 2.35:1/Dolby Digital 5.1 Paramount Pictures

The first adaptation of a John Grisham tale that I've really enjoyed, "The Rainmaker", directed by Francis Ford Coppola, looks at the life of a poor young Southern lawer, Rudy Baylor(Matt Damon, in a great performance) as he battles against an insurance company and it's staff of lawers(led by Jon Voight).

Baylor is battling for Donny Ray Black, a young man who's insurance claims have been turned down time and time again; Kelly Riker(Claire Danes), who lives in continuing fear of her abusive husband and Miss Birdie, an older woman who simply wants to keep her money from her greedy offspring.

This is really the best of the Grisham adaptations and I'm fairly positive it's the hand of director Coppola that has it rising above the rest; the film is crowd-pleasing sure, but it's also very smart and very well acted, with a lot of rich dialogue and some very interesting and entertaining characters. Danny Devito, as Damon's aid, has a lot of fun in a great performance; like in "LA Confidential", we're seeing Devito as his absolute peak lately. He's been picking bigger and especially, much better roles lately. Matt Damon's first major performance in this film is also very well done, yet another in his line of subtle, wonderful performances along with "Courage Under Fire" and "Good Will Hunting." Much like Damon's last film "Rounders", I also thought his narration in this film was well done and well written(by Michael Herr)

Overall, it's an excellent film, well directed, acted and written. It's a well-told tale by Ford Coppola and it's highly entertaining. "The Rainmaker" was one of my picks for the top 10 films of 1997.

The DVD: Picture: Well, where there's good, there's also bad. It's unfortunate that Paramount did an unsatisfactory job with this disc. Colors are not terribly well defined or vibrant; contrast is only fair; the whole disc looks, to my eyes, like an "okay" laserdisc would. There is definitely a noticeable amount of pixelization and some shimmering. It makes a point I was talking about with another person a couple of weeks ago all the more apparent to me. I said, "the best DVD material will absolutely blow your mind; at worst, it'll make you shrug your shoulders and say, 'well, that's sort of okay' ". "The Rainmaker" simply made me shrug my shoulders in dissapointment. It's probably the least impressive picture transfer in my collection of discs, and that's too bad since this is really a great film that deserves a great disc. In a time where Tristar is making discs that look as good as "Godzilla", there's no excuse for a film that's not terribly old like "The Rainmaker" to look like this. It looked this way on my Panasonic A110. Hopefully, although I highly doubt it, people will have better luck on other players.

Audio:Pretty good. It's definitely a dialogue film, backed by a nice, subtle score. Both are well recorded and pleasant to listen to. Nothing terribly mind-blowing. Again, the annoying problem is still there; you can not switch the audio during the film, only from the menu. Try during the film and you're out of luck.

Menus: Very weak. The picture on the front of the box with some simplistic bordering and big, dull buttons.

Extras:Nothing. No 16x9, No Trailer, Not A Thing. Absolutely zero.

Overall: It's a great film and if you liked the film as much as I did, it's worth a purchase at some of the very low prices found on the internet, but after watching this disc, I would *definitely* not pay full price for it. If you're considering it, I'd highly suggest a rental first, unless you like the movie itself as much as I did.

Film:**** Picture:* 1/2 Audio:** 1/2 Extras:Zero Menus:Zero

Overall Disc Quality:**

Matt Damon was a relative unknown when he was tapped to play the hero of "The Rainmaker", based on a novel by John Grisham & directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was a twist of fate that launched Damon's career and definitely lifted this movie. (Ironically, Matthew McConaughey got his start the same way- being an unknown cast in a movie based on a Grisham novel.)

The plot is a classic David-vs-Goliath story- fresh out of law school Matt Damon sues an insurance company for denying treatment to a family with cancer. Ultimately Damon triumphs- the righteous cause succees and the system works. Damon is a major talent, as evidenced by his performance in this film. He's shy, unsure of himself, but basically a good person committed to doing what's right.

I wasn't too impressed by the rest of the cast- Claire Danes is a talented actress but fails to shine here. Danny DeVito is okay as Damon's law partner, and Jon Voight comes across as a none-too-interesting arrogant villain. The rest of the cast? Nobody stands out- this is Damon's show.

What impressed me about "The Rainmaker" was its hard, unflinching portrayal of the legal profession. A lawyer's life is not glamorous and does not necessarily guarantee a huge paycheck. Those quick to criticize lawyers ought to take some law courses before they open their mouths- the road to becoming a lawyer is rough and a considerable commitment of both your time and financial resources. Despite his law degree, Damon's financial picture at the beginning of the film is decidedly precarious.

Watch "The Rainmaker" along with "A Civil Action" and "Erin Brockovich" to get a pretty good idea about the way the law works & how courts give the little people an avenue to even up with big shots like corporations and insurance companies. Watch this movie in particular to see a terrific performance from Matt Damon.

I will not dwell on the details of this John Grisham story that puts the insurance industry on trial. The purpose of my comments are to let Amazon viewers know that Paramount has set July 24, 2007 for release of this wonderful movie as an anamorphic Special Collectors Edition. For those of you contemplating buying this DVD, wait until July for a nicer version without those black bars. I hope this is of help to my fellow Amazon viewers.

I wasn't expecting much when I dropped this 1998 movie into the DVD player...

There is a lot to commend itself. Matt Damon gives a convincing performance of a wet-behind-the-ears lawyer who finds himself with a big case on his hands just as he passes the bar exam! Danny Devito is slimy, shady, sarcastic, and sleazy (in other words, perfect Devito) as Damon's partner.

The main story involves a poor family whose son is denied needed medical treatment for leukemia. The sleazy Big Insurance Company has denied his claim and betting that they will not press the matter. They bet wrong! Our hero, guided by some unlikely supporters and a sympathetic judge (Dixon from Alias), come to the rescue.

The pieces fit together quite nicely. Justice is served, bad guys are taken down, and Matt Damon establishes himself as an unlikely, unwilling hero and endears himself to the pretty girl in the process.

Nothing wrong with this story or this film. Very delightful and satisfying in every respect.

THE RAINMAKER is a by the numbers adaptation of John Grisham's bestseller. Director Francis Ford Coppola explores no new grounds in this film, but elicits competent and professional performances from a stellar cast. Matt Damon who plays Rudy burst onto the scene in this movie, released just before his Oscar winning screenplay and starring role in GOOD WILL HUNTING. Damon captures the youthful impetuosity and naivete of a just bar-approved lawyer who finds himself involved in a case against a big insurance company. His assistant is played by a restrained Danny DeVito. Their boss is played by an unusually understated Mickey Rourke, who shows up on screen looking halfway decent for a change. His clients are wonderfully played by Mary Kay Place and Johnny Whitworth. Jon Voight delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Damon's devilishly cold opponent; Roy Scheider has a brief scene as the CEO of the insurance company; Randy Travis has a thirty second scene as an irate juror; Virginia Madsen is wonderful in a small role as the claims adjustor who was fired; Claire Danes is appropriately cast as the abused wife who turns to Damon for help. Oscar winner Teresa Wright turns up in a lovely role as an elderly lady who wants to leave her money to a tv evangelist.
THE RAINMAKER is perhaps a little too long (it clocks in well over two hours), and offers little in the way of suspense. It is competent, involving and ultimately satisfying, however. Matt Damon proved the hoopla about to come was deserved.

Adapted from a novel by John Grisham, The Rainmaker details the life of a young and poor lawyer, Rudy Baylor. Based in the South, Baylor takes on several cases: a young man battling leukemia (and the Great Benefits healthcare provider), an elderly wealthy woman revising her will, and a married woman suffering domestic violence. Donny Ray Black's case serves as the central storyline for The Rainmaker, though the movie follows Baylor and his interactions with all his clients and legal staff. Rudy Baylor serves as an exception to the legal system as a whole, and is portrayed as a man who is genuinely concerned for the well being of his clients.

The Rainmaker is a well directed and acted film. Its characters, plot, and situations make the video both educational and entertaining to watch. Matt Damon, who plays Rudy Baylor, is at his best. The supporting roles played by Danny Devito (Deck Schifflet) and Claire Danes (Kelly Riker) add to the moving storylines. The most fascinating aspect of the movie, however, is its exploration of the legal ethics. The audience is encouraged to form their own opinions of the principles within the legal system from The Rainmaker's plot.

Though Rudy Baylor becomes too involved with his cases, he teaches the viewers an important lesson about legal careers and life in general: that people respond to those who care. Baylor experiences both criticism and praise in his cases, and ultimately, he accomplishes several important tasks- overcoming the fraudulent Great Benefits health insurance company, freeing Riker from abuse within her marriage, and developing a trusting relationship with the older woman. The Rainmaker is both a worthwhile and thought-provoking film that explores the legal system and ethics while absorbing the interest of the film's audience.

Despite some problems, The Rainmaker comes off as an entertaining court room drama elevated by an excellent cast.

The film, starring Matt Damon as a lawyer on his first case, has two main stories: his relationship with a client who is beaten by her husband, and his attempt to bring down a fraudulent insurance company for denying coverage for a young man's leukemia.

While both plots help Damon's character development, in the end it seems both really deserve their own film. They don't seem to mesh well, and neither gets the emotional development they need to propel their stories as best they can. Perhaps the novel by John Grisham, which this film is based on, builds these two stories better, but I haven't read to book to find out. The film as is, though, is still intriguing and entertaining, despite its predictability as a typical court room story.

Another distraction was the use of a lot of stereotypes and cliched characters. Though humorous at times, for the most part it takes away from the drama of the film, making it seem like you shouldn't take the film seriously. Which you should, it is primarily meant as a drama, it just overuses comic relief at times.

Although this film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, it doesn't seem to have any of his signature touches incorporated into it. I would never have guessed it was his film just by watching it. It's the film's cast though, not the director, that makes this film really worthwhile. Danny DeVito's supporting role is great as a paralawyer who's flunked the bar exam six times. Other great performances include those from Jon Voight, Danny Glover, Dean Stockwell and Roy Scheider.

The Rainmaker is definitely an enjoyable piece with a great cast, but story-wise, don't expect anything too earth shattering.

Pretty hard to take a well written book by the likes of John Grisham and bring it all onto the screen. They do a pretty good job. Matt Damon plays Rudy, a student in law school who's smart, broke, and about to make history. In the meantime his partner and him are working hard on a case against a scamming life insurance company that never paid out to a boy who had cancer. The policy covered it but they would just not pay. Meantime Damons character is in deeper than ever, as he falls for an abused woman whose redneck husband will soon find out. Read the novel, then watch the movie. It's really a very moving story and the characters in the book and movie are alive and thriving. Danny DeVito plays Damons partner in the film and it's one of the better roles I've seen him play.

As is typically the case, I read the excellent novel by John Grisham before watching this motion picture. As is not typically the case, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Francis Ford Coppola should be one of only a few directors even allowed to direct a big screen version of a Grisham novel (and they should keep Sidney Pollak the hell away from them)!

This movie abounds with excellent performances from Matt Damon, Jon Voight, Mickey Rourke, Claire Danes, Danny Glover, & Danny DeVito. Coppola and the cast clearly got their mojo working on this one. The only reason I gave this picture 4 stars instead of 5 is that it failed to include Grisham's portrayal of Rudy Baylor in his last year of law school and the breakup of the firm in which he thought he had a secure future. It also doesn't do a very good job of telling us how Rudy met Miss Birdie to begin with (again, read the book). This novel came out just as I finished law school, and my wife thought that Rudy's early struggles really made the book. I agree with her. Coppola settled for a really good movie when he could have made a great one instead.

The story line of John Grisham's Rainmaker comes to screen life through the creative genius of Coppola, and unlike some of his films which are far from where I live, such as The Godfather (although very truistic), this film is one I can relate to and which could touch the life of many of us.

Matt Damon's character, Rudy Baylor, is believable and represents the heart of many young men and women who start their law practice with high ideals, moral values and integrity. His quiet wisdom holds up well when pitted with the arrogance of a Leo Drummond-type lawyer, a man whose moral and ethical values were leeched from him long ago.

Although there is light foul language, it is refreshing to see a film where one does not have to wince constantly from the onslaught of gutter language and unclothed people!

Danny Glover walked the high moral ground in this film as well and gave a stunning performance as always.

I was delighted to see the incomparable Teresa Wright as Miss Birdie, (catch her in "Mrs Miniver" starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon from the B&W WWII movie years, what a treasure!) She played the part to perfection, "cut, cut, cut."

Claire Danes, an excellent actress for one so young, played the part of an abused young woman to a "T" with the low-key type personality so prevalent in one who has been cowed into submission way too many times. With an abusive childhood himself, Rudy had to save her. (Loved Danes in Les Miserables and Little Women!)

Mary Kay Place always shines, but her portrayal of a mom whose son is dying needlessly touches my mother's heart.

Funny Danny Devito, funny...

I give the Rainmaker high marks! If you like real life movies, watch this or you could be Great Benefit's next victim.

(Interesting that in the video tape version, there is no mention of Danny Glover in any of the credits!)