The Bottom Line
- Well-acted
- Intriguing look at fallibility of American jury system
- Indictment of American corporation’s unwillingness to accept responsibility for actions
- Implausible
- Preachy
- Lacks subtlety
Description
- DVD containing movie "Runaway Jury" (2003)
- Film stars John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz
- Story based on a novel by John Grisham
- DVD contains scene rehearsal footage and interviews with Hackman and Hoffman
- DVD provides feature-length commentary by director Gary Fleder
- DVD contains 5 featurettes (acting, making-of, cinematography, production design, editing)
- DVD provides 2 deleted scenes with optional commentary
- Excellent picture and sound quality
- Feature run time: 2 hours 7 minutes
- DVD release date: February 17, 2004
Guide Review - "Runaway Jury" DVD Review
Although "Runaway Jury" is unabashedly pulpy, I found it very entertaining. The plot is implausible, but the expert pacing, New Orleans location shooting, and slick production values helped overcome the film's weaknesses. I'd never mistake this movie for a work of art in any way, but it is a work of high craft. And the level of craft was one of the things that made this film so enjoyable, including the charismatic performances and star power of Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and John Cusack.
The story centers around a civil trial where a widow sues a gun manufacturer after her husband is killed with one of the defendant's products. The defense strategy is handled by a high-powered jury consultant (Hackman), while plaintiff relies on her attorney (Hoffman). But a conniving juror (Cusack) and a mysterious woman (Rachel Weisz) claim to be able to sway the jury either way, and they offer both sides the opportunity to buy the verdict.
I thought the most interesting thing about the movie was its focus on the fallibility of the American jury system. However, the film is brutally heavy-handed with no sense of nuance or subtlety. But I found "Runaway Jury" diverting and recommend it for its entertainment value, especially if you're looking for something you can just watch and forget almost immediately.
