Steven Zaillian directs John Travolta, Robert Duvall and William H Macy in the true legal tale of a rich personal claims lawyer who takes on the corporations who poisoned a town water supply, eventually using all his acquired wealth to survive the process.

A glossy and effective drama that due to star salaries cost more than most blockbusters did back then and ridiculously more than the settlement the town of bereathed parents were aiming for. Maybe that is endemic of what holds this back from being merely good rather than great. It is a little too narrow sightedly worthy. A little overly po-faced. Travolta plays a scumbag millionaire huckster who sees the light and does the right thing. Maybe there would have been more entertainment value in keeping him a little amoral for a lot longer while he travels along his road to Damascus. Still Duvall is perfect as the corporate opposition who has seen it all before and is amused at watching everyone else around him flounder and scrabble. If the entire cast, and it is a fine cast, shared his casually satirical take on a juicy role we’d have a winner.

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