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John Grisham's The Rainmaker

Play trailer 2:26 Poster for John Grisham's The Rainmaker PG-13 Released Nov 21, 1997 2h 15m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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81% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Struggling new attorney Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon) resorts to working for a shady lawyer (Mickey Rourke), where he meets paralegal Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito). When the insurance company of Dot Black (Mary Kay Place) refuses her dying son coverage, Baylor and Shifflet team up to fight the corrupt corporation, taking on its callous lawyer (Jon Voight). Meanwhile, Baylor becomes involved with Kelly Riker (Claire Danes), an abused wife, whose husband complicates matters when he confronts Baylor.
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John Grisham's The Rainmaker

John Grisham's The Rainmaker

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Critics Consensus

Invigorated by its talented cast and Francis Ford Coppola's strong direction, The Rainmaker is a satisfying legal drama -- and arguably the best of Hollywood's many John Grisham adaptations.

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Critics Reviews

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Martin Hoyle Financial Times The Rainmaker is a formulaic potboiler, decently acted, notably by Mickey Rourke... and Jon Voight. Jan 20, 2023 Full Review Geoff Brown Times (UK) The style of direction is relatively impersonal, but Coppola gets the job done, making the most of the Memphis locations and letting humor and compassion flourish; the film's unforced sympathy for the underprivileged is one of its biggest pleasures. Jan 20, 2023 Full Review David Ansen Newsweek A wonderfully quirky cast under Francis Ford Coppola's direction makes this one of the more enjoyable Grisham movies. Mar 5, 2018 Full Review Betsy Sherman The Improper Bostonian Happily this time people will discover our hometown boy Matt Damon, who gives a superb lead performance in an unfortunately mediocre property. Rated: 1.5/4 Aug 6, 2024 Full Review Todd James Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta) This David-and-Goliath story is helped along by newcomer Damon's charming performance and a cast that includes quirky performances. Rated: 3/5 Aug 6, 2024 Full Review Michael Dwyer Irish Times This effort shows no sign of a halt to the decline of Coppola, a film-maker who, in the 1970s, was producing towering achievements such as the first two Godfather movies and The Conversation. Jan 24, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ralph R The Rainmaker is a compelling legal drama that showcases Francis Ford Coppola's return to form after the less successful Jack. Adapted from John Grisham's novel, the film follows Rudy Baylor, a novice attorney portrayed by Matt Damon, as he takes on a powerful insurance company in a wrongful death lawsuit. While the case's outcome may seem predictable, the narrative remains engaging, keeping viewers invested throughout. Matt Damon delivers a strong performance, capturing Rudy's earnestness and determination. 1997 was indeed a significant year for Damon, with Good Will Hunting also releasing, further establishing his presence in Hollywood. The supporting cast, including Danny DeVito as Deck Shifflet and Jon Voight as the opposing attorney, adds depth and nuance to the story. Coppola's direction brings a grounded realism to the film, focusing on the intricacies of the legal process and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters. The courtroom scenes are particularly well-executed, balancing tension and drama effectively. With Coppola's direction and the performances, The Rainmaker is notably one of the better adaptations of Grisham's work. Despite its strengths, The Rainmaker didn't achieve significant box office success, grossing $45.9 million domestically against a $40 million budget. However, it received generally positive reviews. In summary, The Rainmaker is a well-crafted film that combines strong performances with insightful direction, making it a noteworthy entry in Coppola's filmography and a testament to Damon's early talent. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Rick M A great and profound indictment of [a large portion of] both the legal profession and the insurance industry. Matt Damon is superb as a brand new lawyer who exposes them and puts them in their place: damned to hell. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/02/24 Full Review Mike P (Spoilers) Or " The Drizzle-dropper". Slick, commercial and somewhat phony courtroom melodrama tries to push a "David and Goliath" narrative; (when this multimillion dollar blockbuster production, with it's Murderers Row of A-Listers, and developed from John Grishman's mega-bestseller, is ANYTHING but a struggling Underdog!) The movie has young idealistic Memphis attorney Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon) taking on an Insurance Malpractice case for Donnie Ray Black; a man who was denied coverage from his carrier The Great Benefit Life Insurance Company; and who grew gravely ill and soon developed cancer likely as a result of this...Rudy has ofcourse never argued a case before a judge yet; and yet still, ofcourse, he crushes the evil insurance company with one swift blow. (Beginners luck! So Convenient!). This movie was loved by both critics and the public; but it just seems like a big con job to me; like some ambulance chasing shyster lawyer arguing about "The Twinkie Defense" and "Diminished Capacity" to some captive jury somewhere... Overall: 👎 Not Recommended Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/03/24 Full Review Joel H As far as John Grisham film adaptations go, The Rainmaker is pretty good. I don't think it's as thrilling as The Client or The Firm, but it manages to tell a captivating story and offers a few surprises along the way. Matt Damon does a convincing job as the naïve lawyer, and I really like Danny Glover in his role as the judge. However, I feel like Danny DeVito was underutilized. There were a few odd editing choices, too, when I thought we were going to get more from a scene and then it jumped away. And the ending isn't as satisfying as I had hoped. Still, The Rainmaker is a solid courtroom drama. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review David W Fans of John Grisham or legal dramas in general will enjoy this story. Francis Ford Coppola's film features a stellar cast that includes Matt Damon in the lead, Danny DeVito as a supporting actor, Jon Voight who does a wonderful job as the rival attorney, in addition to a then-unknown Claire Danes who plays a budding love interest. The amazing cast alone is a reason I would watch this again. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/24 Full Review Alejandro E F. Ford Coppola must have had a good excuse to direct a legal drama, based on a novel by John Grisham. The result is not close enough to his masterpieces but the performances above all make the 135 minutes satisfying. And that's what matters. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/03/23 Full Review Read all reviews
John Grisham's The Rainmaker

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John Grisham's The Rainmaker

The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Miss Birdie's Beneficiary The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Miss Birdie's Beneficiary 1:54 The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Do What You Think is Right The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Do What You Think is Right 2:06 The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Downsizing The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Downsizing 2:09 The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Cliff Comes Home The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Cliff Comes Home 2:01 The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Guess Who Died Last Night? The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Guess Who Died Last Night? 0:56 The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Unlicensed The Rainmaker: Official Clip - Unlicensed 0:57 The Rainmaker: Official Clip - He'll Kill Me The Rainmaker: Official Clip - He'll Kill Me 0:37 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Struggling new attorney Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon) resorts to working for a shady lawyer (Mickey Rourke), where he meets paralegal Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito). When the insurance company of Dot Black (Mary Kay Place) refuses her dying son coverage, Baylor and Shifflet team up to fight the corrupt corporation, taking on its callous lawyer (Jon Voight). Meanwhile, Baylor becomes involved with Kelly Riker (Claire Danes), an abused wife, whose husband complicates matters when he confronts Baylor.
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Producer
Michael Douglas, Fred Fuchs, Steven Reuther
Screenwriter
Francis Ford Coppola, John Grisham, Michael Herr
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
American Zoetrope
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 21, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 20, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$45.9M
Runtime
2h 15m
Sound Mix
Surround, DTS, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
35mm, Scope (2.35:1)
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