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The Rainmaker

1997

Francis Ford Coppola

Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Claire Danes, Jon Voight ...

6.6

11,679

Mystery. Drama An ageing couple whose son is dying rely on an unemployed lawyer, Rudy Baylor, to generate the funds needed for an operation which may just save his life. As time passes, Rudy cultivates a strong hatred for corporate America at the same time as falling in love with a broken young woman. Can he keep his mind on the job of saving a boy's life, or will these recent fixations prove to be too much of a distraction?

	Media	Author	Review
		Janet Maslin The New York Times	"Drawing a parade of colorful performances from a constantly surprising cast, the curiously titled ''John Grisham's 'The Rainmaker' is Mr. Coppola's best and sharpest film in years"
		Todd McCarthy Variety	"This story of a young Southern lawyer taking on an evil insurance giant exerts an almost irresistible David and Goliath appeal, and proves absorbing from beginning to end"
		Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly	"Any random episode of Law & Order would be more sophisticated than this heavy-handed, moralistic Southern-lawyer corn pone"
		Roger Ebert rogerebert.com	"By keeping all of the little people in focus, Coppola shows the variety of a young lawyer's life (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"
		Peter Travers Rolling Stone	"The film isn’t a bust – it’s serviceable entertainment, if you don’t mind watching a master serve a hack."
		Jack Mathews Los Angeles Times	"Coppola has infused 'The Rainmaker' with enough humor, character, honest emotion and storytelling style to make it one of the year's most entertaining movies"
		Ian Nathan Empire	"Unremarkable stab at the Grisham genre, despite the great director's efforts (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Barbara Shulgasser SFGATE	"Coppola's delicious sense of humor colors this picture (...) 'The Rainmaker' is Hollywood at the top of its form. It's a ripping yarn woven by a master"
		James Berardinelli ReelViews	"'The Rainmaker' stands above any other filmed Grisham adaptation (...) Matt Damon does a fine job"

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