Comments on: Favorite Law Movies: A Civil Action

By: David Papke

David Papke — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:33:23 +0000

I’m with those who like the lawyer portrayals in A Civil Action. The portrayals have aa range and complexity to them, and that’s rare in pop culture.
The film can also be placed in a sizable group of contemporary law-related films in which corporations and big business are portrayed as evil wrong-doers. Off the top of my head, I’d cite The Verdict, Silkwood, Class Action, The Rainmaker, and Erin Brockovich. One could say this shows the populist strain of American pop culture, but there is a sweeter irony to it all. Namely, the culture industry, itself one of our biggest businesses, sells negative images of big business. Everything is indeed for sale in late capitalism.

By: Bruce Boyden

Bruce Boyden — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:15:19 +0000

Hmm. Actually at the time I wrote my comment it said “whelmed,” but apparently whelming is experiencing deflationary pressures right now.

By: Gordon Shea

Gordon Shea — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:40:49 +0000

I’m with Mr. Boyden – “Civil Action” was a great book, an underwhelming film. Try “In the Name of the Father” for a better film based on a true-life legal situation (albeit one in another country).

By: Bruce E. Boyden

Bruce E. Boyden — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:09:33 +0000

I respectfully dissent on the movie, which I was underwhelmed by. However, like Jason, I heartily recommend the book. I found it fascinating and gripping. From early on, you can sense Schlichtmann getting lured in over his head, like a gambler following good money after bad, enticed by the unlikely prospect of a big payday. And for future lawyers, the disastrous deposition scene and its aftermath (omitted from the movie, if memory serves) make for a compelling cautionary tale: always expect your opponents will break the rules, and have some sort of plan if they do (or at least don’t throw an expletive-laden fit on the record).

By: Michael Waxman

Michael Waxman — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:03:05 +0000

One of the sad realities when addressing law in movies is the narrow perspective of the analysts. Invariably, law is seen within only the American experience despite the inexorable push to broaden law school courses to include comparative legal materials. Even the very recent law review and bar journal discussions about law in film rarely consider foreign films. Yet, many of these authors have been exposed to films such as Rashomon and the Story of Qiu Ju. For whatever reason even the comparativists rarely use cross cultural insights to examine law through the prism of foreign versus American perspectives of law. Because it is commonly acknowledged that we are in a transnational (if not international) age it is essential that law students, faculty and practitioners begin to see the how people outside the United States perceive their own legal systems. Ultimately, the films most likely to provide the deepest exposure to foreign perceptions of law are local favorites rarely available outside of a country’s borders much less in translation (e.g. some of the Tora-san series from Japan).

I have used some of these films in my comparative law course for many years. I have found that students viewing them in concert with supplementary law reviews discussing the specific legal system and culture based written materials make for lively discussions and significant insights into international legal planning.

By: Jason Decent

Jason Decent — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:47:30 +0000

This movie, as I am sure most of the ones that are picked will be, is also an excellent book. I read it before I started law school and look forward to reading it again soon with a new perspective. It is accessible for those without legal training and provides a sobering picture for those entering the profession with wide eyes. I highly recommend it.