John Grisham's The Rainmaker (1997)
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82% of critics liked it
(45 reviews) -
72% of users liked it
(37,612 ratings)
Francis Ford Coppola is both scripter and director of this drama adapted from the John Grisham novel about broke, inexperienced Memphis law-school graduate Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon), ready to take any job he can find. Signing on with slimy Bruiser Stone (Mickey Rourke), he learns ambulance-chasing… More Francis Ford Coppola is both scripter and director of this drama adapted from the John Grisham novel about broke, inexperienced Memphis law-school graduate Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon), ready to take any job he can find. Signing on with slimy Bruiser Stone (Mickey Rourke), he learns ambulance-chasing tactics from Bruiser's leg man Deck Schifflet (Danny DeVito) and meets battered teen Kelly Riker (Claire Danes), abused by her husband (Andrew Shue). Baylor has his own clients -- friendly Miss Birdie (Teresa Wright), who has a large estate to dispose of, and desperate Dot Black (Mary Kay Place), whose son Donnie Ray (Johnny Whitworth) has terminal leukemia. Medical intervention could have spared his life, but the Great Benefit Insurance Company denied coverage, preventing Donnie Ray from getting a life-saving bone marrow transplant. Rudy finds a place to live in the apartment behind Miss Birdie's house. Deck and Rudy split from Bruiser to start their small firm. When they take on the Blacks' case, they go up against the insurance company's high-priced law firm and are continually thwarted by slick lawyer Leo F. Drummond (Jon Voight). Rudy's voiceover narration was scripted by Michael Herr. Filmed on location in Memphis. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Directed By
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Written By
- Francis Ford Coppola, John Grisham
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Drama
- In Theaters
- Nov 20, 1997 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
Coppola has never been particularly known for his comic touch, but here he seems bent on leavening the melodrama with as many laughs as possible, and they are generally honest and well-earned.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
This competent, anonymous legal drama (scripted by Michael Herr) is the best John Grisham adaptation yet.
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Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle
Coppola adapted the novel himself, and he's done a good job of paring it down.
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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.
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Charles Taylor, Salon.com
Satisfactory mainstream entertainment, with a handful of major actors in juicy minor roles tossed in for good measure.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Matt Damon
as Rudy Baylor
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Claire Danes
as Kelly Riker
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Jon Voight
as Leo F. Drummond
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Mary Kay Place
as Dot Black
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Mickey Rourke
as Bruiser Stone
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Danny DeVito
as Deck Schifflet
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Dean Stockwell
as Judge Harvey Hale
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Teresa Wright
as Miss Birdie
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Virginia Madsen
as Jackie Lemancyzk
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Andrew Shue
as Cliff Riker
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Red West
as Buddy Black
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Johnny Whitworth
as Donny Ray Black
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Wayne Emmons
as Prince Thomas
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Adrian Roberts
as Butch
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Roy Scheider
as Wilfred Keeley
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Randy Travis
as Billy Porter
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Michael Girardin
as Everett Lufkin
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Randall King
as Jack Underhall
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Justin Ashforth
as F. Franklin Donaldson
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Michael Keys Hall
as B. Bobby Shaw
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Danny Glover
as Judge Tyrone Kipler (uncredited)
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Michael Herr
as Narration

