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Review

What's this: An intriguing, complex courtroom drama not penned by John Grisham? Based on the best-seller by Jonathan Harr, this classy production, which is based on a true-life incident, shares with Grisham a judicial setting, but A Civil Action has its own, distinctive flavoring in which justice may not always be served. Travolta is commendable as Jan Schlichtmann, a hot-shot, cynical personal injury lawyer who agrees to represent eight families from a small Massachusetts town against two large corporations whose dumping of toxic materials may have caused a breakout of leukemia. At first eager to take on the big guys, Schlichtmann meets his match in a seasoned attorney (Duvall) from the other side. The outcome is unexpected, and director Zaillian's screenplay adaptation contains many sharp observations of the legal profession, and on ethics vs. the law. Duvall is the standout here, giving a scintillating portrait of a bottom-line realist who may not be as callous as the giant company which employs him.