Runaway Jury (2003) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A juror on the inside and a woman on the outside manipulate a court trial involving a major gun manufacturer. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 25 titles created 21 Mar 2011 a list of 34 titles created 13 Jun 2011 a list of 41 titles created 03 Mar 2013 a list of 39 titles created 30 Jun 2014 a list of 26 titles created 11 Aug 2015 Search for " Runaway Jury " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.

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Rankin Fitch is the jury consultant for the Defendants and between them the battle is for the hearts and minds of the jury. But there is someone on the inside. Nicholas Easter is a juror with a girlfriend, Marlee, on the outside. they have a past ..... and their own agenda. Written by johnno.r@xtra.co.nz Trials are too important to be decided by juries. Genres: Rated PG-13 for violence, language and thematic elements | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 17 October 2003 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Le maître du jeu See more » Filming Locations: $11,836,705 (USA) (17 October 2003) Gross: Final film of Don Hood . See more » Goofs In Nick's first scene he opens a piece of mail at his apartment's mailbox. It is addressed to him at "1619 Chartres St." Later, when his info is brought up on Rankin Fitch's computer screen his address is listed as "617 Chartres St." See more » Quotes Frank Herrera : [On nominating Herman for foreman] But...

Eddie Weese : But he's blind, man. So what? So is justice, right? (England) – See all my reviews Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) is desperate to get on this jury. With a high powered Gun Manufacturer, at risk of being held responsible for selling the guns that are used in crime, the question is why. Gene Hackman is brought in for the defence as a jury consultant, who is at ease with digging up dirt and manipulating jurors, to get the results he wants. And Rachel Weisz is an outsider, pulling Easters strings. As the stakes get higher, there is no doubt that this Jury is For Sale, but will the highest bidder win. Hackman, Weisz and Cusack are all on top form for this one, but Hoffman's Character seemed to lack a little depth. Basically a good thriller, that is worth watching, but don't expect too much, you might feel let down. 7/10 36 of 48 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Amazon.com: Runaway Jury: John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Bruce Davison, Bruce McGill, Jeremy Piven, Nick Searcy, Stanley Anderson, Cliff Curtis, Nestor Serrano, Leland Orser, Gary Fleder, Arnon Milchan, Christopher Mankiewicz, Brian Koppelman, David Levien, John Grisham, Matthew Chapman, Rick Cleveland: Movies & TV Movies & TV Sold by MovieMars Condition: Used: Like New Comment: NON-REGION 1 VERSION, WILL NOT PLAY IN U.S. OR CANADA DVD AND BLU-RAY PLAYERS. Sealed item. Like NEW. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Add to Cart Sorry, there was a problem. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again. Sorry, there was a problem. List unavailable. Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon Image Unavailable Sorry, this item is not available in Image not available To view this video download Flash Player $13.99 Playback Region 2 :This will not play on most DVD players sold in the U.S., U.S. Territories, Canada, and Bermuda.

See other DVD options under âOther Formats & Versionsâ. Learn more about DVD region specifications here Unlimited Streaming with Amazon Prime Start your 30-day free trial to stream thousands of movies & TV shows included with Prime. Start your free trial See all buying options Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Next Special Offers and Product Promotions Get a $75.00 statement credit after first Amazon.com purchase made with new Discover itÂ® card within 3 months. Terms and conditions apply. See offer for details. Apply now. Editorial Reviews Based on the bestseller by John Grisham, Runaway Jury is a slick thriller that's exciting enough to overcome the gaps in its plot. The ultimate target has been changed: Grisham's legal assault on the tobacco industry was switched to the hot-button issue of gun control (no doubt to avoid comparisons with The Insider) in a riveting exposÃ© of jury-tampering.

Gene Hackman plays the ultra-cynical, utterly unscrupulous pawn of the gun-makers, using an expert staff and advanced electronics to hand-pick a New Orleans jury that will return a favourable verdict; Dustin Hoffman (making his first screen appearance with real-life former roommate Hackman) defends the grieving widow of a gun-shooting victim with idealistic zeal, while maverick juror John Cusack and accomplice Rachel Weisz play both ends against the middle in a personal quest to hold gun-makers accountable. It's riveting stuff, even when it's obvious that Grisham and director Gary Fleder have glossed over any details that would unravel the plot's intricate design. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com Special Features Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats. ) Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 By Philip Scholz on June 21, 2014 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase While a number of important things were changed from the John Grisham novel this was based on (including the removal of the word "The" from the title), this film retained the spirit of its source material and was better for it.

After her husband is murdered by a workplace shooter who then killed himself, she resolves to sue the gun manufacturer who made the murder weapon. She is represented by Wendell Rohr, played by Dustin Hoffman, an idealistic attorney who desires to finally hold the gun makers accountable for what their products are used for. Unbeknownst to them, the defense has retained Rankin Fitch, played by Gene Hackman, a man with a knack for profiling people who uses his talents to help select juries and, more importantly, manipulate the selected jury to vote in his clients' favor. In the middle of this is Nicholas Easter, played by John Cusack, a young man working at a videogame arcade who is summoned for jury duty and, after being a wise guy towards the judge, is selected to sit on the jury of the gun case. But it soon becomes apparent, to the viewer at least, that good old Nick Easter is up to something. And then there's the fact that Rankin Fitch is suddenly receiving calls from a mysterious woman called Marlee, played by Rachel Weisz, who knows all about his illegal activities and intends to outdo him. This was a great adaptation with an all-star cast.

I especially enjoyed the confrontation between Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman...this was apparently their first scene together ever after they'd already been good friends for over forty years. Speaking of Dustin Hoffman, his character Wendell Rohr is more ethical in the movie than the book but he is thankfully not prissy...I credit that to the actor. I liked this movie very much and I don't care that the subject of the lawsuit in the center of the plot was guns instead of cigarettes as was the case in the book. The ending was a bit corny and too perfect, but I'll let that go. Enjoy. By William Porter on May 24, 2016 Format: Amazon Video|Verified Purchase Meh. John Grisham, what can I say? It's a standard bestseller drama, with a few twists and turns. Production values are good, acting is good. I think I would enjoy watching Gene Hackman make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Requires MAJOR suspension of disbelief if you know much about actual civil litigation including jury selection.

And it'll help to lean hard left while watching this film, since the general theme here is that violating all kinds of state and federal laws is perfectly okay, in fact, it's downright NOBLE, if it's in service of a good end. So now that I think of it, the story is both clever and stupid at the same time. The clever parts kept me watching all the way through. What I mostly remember now is the stupid parts. By H. Bala TOP 500 REVIEWER on May 12, 2011 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase I count this one in my top three favorite John Grisham film adaptations, along with THE FIRM and THE RAINMAKER. RUNAWAY JURY, a crackling good legal thriller, raises issues concerning jury tampering and gun control. These, to me, would normally be snorefests for topics, but damn if the cast isn't so good that I got instantly swept away by the plot. It goes like this: Two years ago, one morning, in his brokerage firm, a stockbroker was fatally gunned down during a mass slaying by a crazed day trader who then turned the gun on himself.

Today is the slain stockbroker's widow's day in court. Today, in New Orleans, she's putting the gun industry on trial. The news media is all a-hubbub. This case isn't cut and dried. RUNAWAY JURY registers high on the implausibility meter, but it's so well executed and the actors are so good that it's easy enough to play along. The story gives us a peek into what goes on behind the scenes of a news media-saturated trial. Specifically, in the area of jury consulting. Gene Hackman plays Rankin Fitch, preeminent jury expert and an uncanny profiler. Fitch's distinguished track record hinges on certain unsavory practices. Fitch's war room is graced with cutting edge surveillance technology and peopled with behavioral psychologists and strong-arm bully boys. Fitch frequently has his prospective jurors tailed. When called for, he resorts to blackmail and intimidation to cow a juror, to maybe even swing a juror. Rankin Fitch is slimy and has the moral backbone of an evil snail. But damn if he isn't sharp and wicked observant. He pretty much tells the prosecutor how to run his end of the trial.

Except Rankin Fitch is about to get played. A mysterious woman named Marlee (Rachel Weisz) offers to deliver a verdict to the highest bidder. Dustin Hoffman plays the (purposely) rumpled and folksy defense attorney Wendell Rohr, and Rohr, a play-by-the-rules kind of litigator, reacts to this offer with proper outrage. Fitch is more dismissive, calling Marlee "an amateur, a dilettante," until Marlee proves that she really can hijack the jury. Cue the pledge of allegiance and the lunching with the judge and poor Nora Dunn and so on... On the surface, RUNAWAY JURY is a highly charged courtroom drama. But there are very fun elements of the con peppered in. The main conflict is the cat & mouse games that Fitch and Marlee engage in. Marlee is our prohibitive "protagonist," along with the perceptive Juror #9, Nick Easter (John Cusack), whom Fitch scornfully labels as a "song and dance man." But then Nick Easter begins to influence the panel.

Now, there was a danger that viewers might have regarded these two, Marlee and Nick, as too cold and manipulative, except that there are enough humanizing moments in which they reveal vulnerability and remorse. You end up pulling for them. Even if their true motivations aren't made clear until the film's just about done. But Cusack and Weisz have always been very appealing actors. And, for this story to work, it's crucial that they appeal to you. Powerhouse acting all over the motherfrogging place. It's a hell of a cast. You know a movie is just showing off when it's got folks like Jennifer Beals and Dylan McDermott walking in for, essentially, extended cameos. Gene Hackman, predatory gleam in his eye, steals all the scenes, even in his one and only talking scene with Dustin Hoffman (who's pretty good himself). The story gives you red herrings to sift thru. Bits of humor occasionally lighten the mood. But mostly you're riding on that suspenseful wave, wondering if Marlee and Nick can pull it off and cheering each time Rankin Fitch, that fink, would get egg on his face.

We won't get into the fact that Marlee and Nick, by what they've set out to do, are thumbing their noses at the process of law. But they're likable rogues. Those are the sort who get away with murder. The DVD's extras: By A. Polenco on December 28, 2012 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase The book was about the cigarette industry. the movie was changed to the gun industry. The cigarette industry has a monopoly on the negative information that people know about cigarettes. I was taken aback when the movie ignored the details of the book. This movie should not used the titled from the book. The book told us a story about the power and influence of the cigarette company. How they lied to us about the safety of their product. How they addicted young americans (10-12 years old) so that their product will have a long lasting clientel. Nicotine is used to addict the smoker. The industry of death corrupts our legal system and our government. This movie makes a statement that confirms the book original intent. which is that the cigarette companies are the worst scum on this earth.

Runaway Jury (2003) - Film on Freeview @ viewfilm.net Our listings are provided by our friends over at nextfilm.co.uk . Runaway Jury (2003) 18:30-21:00 Tue 13th Sep 2016 150m Film4 Synopsis In this drama based on John Grisham's best-selling novel, Nick Easter (John Cusack) gets himself on the jury of a landmark case against a gun manufacturer and, as the foreman, tries to influence the other jury members to vote a certain way. Meanwhile, Easter's girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz), tries to swindle the attorneys (Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman) to pay millions of dollars to have the jury return a verdict friendly to their clients.

Our Users Recommend Runaway Jury : Watch online now with Amazon Instant Video: Jennifer Beals, John Cusack, Bruce Davison, Dustin Hoffman, Bruce Mcgill, Rachel Weisz, Jeremy Piven, Gene Hackman, Nick Searcy, Stanley Anderson, Cliff Curtis, Gary Fleder: Amazon.co.uk By Malcolm Clarke on 10 May 2007 Format: DVD Nicholas Easter is a complicated man. Played by John Cusack, as the viewer you will get the wrong impression of the man, that is the intention. The first thing you will be surprised at is the lengths at which Gene Hackman will go to secure "his" verdict, or the verdict that is required for his clients. Dustin Hoffman is the prosecuting lawyer, and together with his team, a cat and mouse game develops behind the scenes between Nick Easter, manipulating the jury, and Hackman, trying to continue controlling verdicts by clever jury selection and stealth tactics. Hackman will stop at nothing, he is big-time. Rachel Weisz plays the co-conspirator of Easter, and she is a great actress.

You get a good feel for her vulnerability in the "big-time" against Hackman, which nicely sets up the twist in the plotline, and makes her character more real. The jury scenes are interesting and each of the jurors characters are developed nicely so that when deliberations start you are almost second guessing what the characters are going to say. This is a great film, with some great scenes between hollywood greats Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman. Yet another must for your collection, this is film that suits your tastes when you want to both watch and think about the movie, it is gripping and interesting from start to finish. By Mary Whipple HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWER on 18 November 2004 Format: DVD From its stunning opening scenes, in which a family celebrates the birthday of their five-year-old son, immediately followed by the workplace shooting of the father and ten co-workers, director Gary Fleder manipulates the viewer's perceptions and keeps the suspense high.

When attorney Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) represents the wife of the victim in a suit against the gun manufacturer two years later, he comes up against Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman), a jury consultant hired by Vicksburg Firearms Company to give them a sympathetic jury. One member of the jury pool, Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) may hold the key to the outcome, but whether he is acting honorably or is himself a tool of special interests is not clear at the outset. Based on John Grisham's novel of the same name, the screenplay by Brian Koppelman, David Levein, Rick Cleveland, and Matthew Chapman focuses on the issue of jury consultants, including their secret rooms to process photographs and information about jury members, detectives and hired thugs who gather incriminating personal data for them ("Everyone has a secret they don't want you to find"), surreptitious break-ins, and blackmail used against jurors. Hackman is unscrupulous as the pawn of the gun manufacturer, Hoffman is earnest but far less forceful as plaintiff's attorney, and Cusack is a mystery man whose goal on the jury is not quite clear until late in the film.

A supporting cast including Rachel Weisz as Cusack's girl friend/co-conspirator Marlee is effective in maintaining the suspense and keeping the motivation of Easter and herself a mystery. Anyone who has been on a jury will find the film lacking realism regarding jury procedure and regulations--these jurors are far more casual about this murder case than is plausible, and the public's access to them and to the trial attorneys is unrealistic. The fact that the viewer still maintains high interest in the film despite these problems, however, attests to the strength of the acting and the effectiveness of the writing in getting the viewer to "suspend disbelief." The many scenes filmed in half-light by cinematographer Robert Elswit help increase the tension and promote suspense. Somewhat cynical in its depiction of the jury system and the ability of jury consultants to manipulate outcomes, the film features crosses and doublecrosses, evil men working to subvert justice (on commission), and blatant attempts to buy the jury. Sensational, exciting, and filled with action scenes, this is a film with little subtlety but good entertainment value. Mary Whipple By F. S.

L'hoir VINE VOICE on 22 September 2008 Format: DVD I have no idea whether juries in the real world can be corrupted as this jury in the reel world is, but "Runaway Jury" is a riveting thriller that ought to capture the interest of the viewer from beginning to end, whether one buys into all the plot points or not. Its success as a genre-film derives from the superlative cast, which is headed by Dustin Hoffman in the role of the honest but savvily down-to-earth attorney (with shabby suit and a carefully planted mustard dab on his tie) who is suing the big gun companies on behalf of the wife of a victim of a mass murder; and Gene Hackman as the ruthless (and expensively dressed) jury consultant, who does not give a fig for the victims, but merely wants to win big on behalf of his even bigger clients, no matter how low he has to stoop to do it. Hoffman and Hackman are supported ably by John Cusack and Rachel Weisz, both of whose characters have hidden agendas.

Although the film is worth watching for its suspense-factor alone, the performances of Hoffman and Hackman, who confront each other in the old-fashioned wood-paneled men's washroom of the court, lift "Runaway Jury" from the level of a conventional court-room thriller. This scene, which lasts several minutes, allows these two cinematic masters to pull out all the stops, as it were, of their craft. It is so rare nowadays to get a full-blown scene--more reminiscent of one in a stage play--between two actors of their calibre. The settings of pre-Katrina New Orleans--the French Quarter and the Garden District--also contribute to the film's ambience. Every once and a while, I sit down and watch the DVD of a film that I missed in the theatre the first time around. Many, I pass on to my friends; "Runaway Jury," I did not. Runaway Jury – EW.com Mystery and Thriller, Drama We gave it a B+ A few words of instruction from the bench before considering Runaway Jury: Forget John Grisham’s best-selling 1996 legal thriller on which it’s based.

The civil case before the court is no longer about jury tampering and a big bad meanie tobacco company; it’s about jury tampering and a big bad meanie firearms company, sued by the pretty widow of a nice family man gunned down in his office. It’s set in New Orleans, not Biloxi, Miss. And the already heavy-footed clomp of Grisham’s declamatory storytelling style has been given an extra-thick-soled, wing-tipped, liberal-leaning, reality-tampering kick thanks to a screenplay credited to four writers. ”We love fat women, people!” sharky jury consultant Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman) instructs the snoops, blackmailers, and operatives who work for him (and who take a huge fee from the gun manufacturer) as they watch secretly shot footage of a potential juror they’ve identified as usefully vulnerable in her cliché-sad corpulence. That about sums up the delicacy of the dialogue and the outrageousness of what Fitch does: He guarantees a verdict by any dirty means necessary. But the evidence in favor of this ”Runaway Jury” mounts up.

It turns out that the barreling, TV-paced, in-your-face energy director Gary Fleder establishes from the very first scene is exactly the kind of bullying a bombastic Grisham tale needs. Although the twists (which include the machinations of John Cusack as a juror with an agenda and Rachel Weisz as a mysterious outsider who may be trying to sell the jury to the highest bidder) are pulpy and the legal foundations feel wildly porous, Fleder, a practiced hand at TV-cop stuff (”The Shield”) and movie thrills (”Don’t Say a Word”), makes the film a faster, more agile bundle of entertainment than the book. In a post-”12 Angry Men” era of jury dramas, good doesn’t necessarily triumph and audiences don’t necessarily sit still for the conversations of actors locked in a room; but this effective bamboozle of a thriller maintains its own tricky balance of junk and hope. It draws on controversial, timely issues concerning Second Amendment rights and kicks around a few arguments. Then it throws in romantic and familial curves, has a great time with the musky landscape of New Orleans, goes for emotional gratification over legal scholarship, and rolls credits before anyone can question the verdict.

Besides, we love Gene Hackman, in his Mephistophelian beard and pin-striped armor, a champ who can deliver a cheap line about fat women and make it sound like a rich insight. We love Dustin Hoffman, who plays Wendall Rohr, the quick-witted attorney for the doe-eyed widow (Joanna Going), a ferret on the side of good who’s not beneath some showbiz maneuvers himself. And we love that Fleder never lets his cinematic swings and punches distract attention from the lively, focused work of his veteran stars, famously collaborating for the first time on screen after some 40 years of friendship. The director and his cinematographer, Robert Elswit (Paul Thomas Anderson’s go-to DP), favor a lot of cocked camera shots from under the chin to convey tilting skirmishes within the legal system. But Hackman establishes the amoral ruthlessness of Fitch’s coolly hideous modern business specialty (none of Sidney Lumet’s sweating Angry Men would have passed this jury conjurer’s muster) with electrifying efficiency, conveying personality with every flip of a cell phone or sip of whiskey.

And Hoffman, rising up to meet his old friend, confidently discards excess and actorly frills, coming up with a character who’s singular and unpeggable — a very human hero. A final bit of testimony: The supporting cast is so underused that I wonder whether there’s a whole other hour of subplot development judged inadmissable by a court of producers. Jeremy Piven plays an idealistic jury consultant who quick-talks his way onto Rohr’s team, then does little besides gape skeptically at the counsel’s unorthodox tactics. Nora Dunn plays a juror who tipples on the sly for a scene or two. And any time Jennifer Beals is employed as a juror, then given absolutely nothing to do, the people have a right to wonder: What was stricken from the record in this engrossing case? Show Full Article Runaway Jury Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 13 January 2017 9:53 AM, PST NEWS 79 out of 102 people found the following review useful: Awesome Performances by Hackman, Cusack, Hoffman & Weisz.

from Calimesa, California 4 December 2004 Not since Primal Fear have I seen a court room thriller that was really good. Given the actors, I suppose you can't really go wrong. Usually I can find some actor or actress that wasn't very good, bothered me in some way or was flat out horrible. This movie featured superb acting by all those involved. Even Jeremy Piven (who I can't help but picture as the Dean in Old School or his characters from PCU or Very Bad Things) delivered a respectable performance, and very different from the other movies mentioned. Runaway Jury doesn't throw in a lot of needless plot twists and unexpected happenings just for the sake of throwing off or fooling the viewer. In fact, it pretty much goes in the direction you think it will, with only a couple of exceptions which are needed. I'm usually the type that likes my movies to get it all done in around 90 minutes or so. Seems to me that most movies that go over 2 hours have a lot of needless "filler" material for no real reason, which, more often than not, results in slow, dragging scenes in the movie or just a boring movie altogether.

This particular movie clocked in at just over 2 hours and used every minute wisely. Nothing boring and nothing seemed to drag on forever. I found the beginning with the jury selection particularly interesting. I thought the whole concept of knowing how to get exactly who you want on your jury, even before they actually show up to jury duty, was a little mind blowing. After seeing those scenes, I knew it was going to be a great movie. I highly recommend this movie, especially if you enjoyed movies like Primal Fear, although this is a completely different movie with different kinds of surprises. Overall, Gene Hackman stole the show in this one and proves why he's been working in movies and television for over 40 years now. I give this 9 out of 10. Was the above review useful to you? 77 out of 103 people found the following review useful: Flimsy yet well acted. from Boone IA 10 October 2004 Well acted yet flimsy adaptation of the John Grisham novel lacks a well rounded script to carry itself but has an amazing cast that lifts this mediocre film past its problems and into respectability.

The script has way too many loop holes in logic to even take what you are seeing seriously and the directing lacks a sharp narrative to get across what it's trying to say. The acting is the only major thing that this film excels on and with out it, this would have been a cable movie of the week at best. Gene Hackman is great as a jury consultant who would stop at nothing to win a case and Rachel Weisz is amazing as his adversary in and out of the courtroom. Dustin Hoffman is great as well but he is not in the movie as much as advertise and John Cusack is decent for the role he has. The biggest fault the movie does have is the fact that certain plot points disappear during the course of the film as well as characters. It's a great way to spend two hours of your time, especially with the great performances of Gene Hackman and Rachel Weisz to keep you glued to what is happening but the movie has a lot of glaring problems that makes it hard to sit though in certain parts. Was the above review useful to you? 91 out of 147 people found the following review useful: The good, the bad, and the ugly.

from New York 21 September 2004 Decent but very flawed film that has so many points to it that it can't be categorize in simply good or bad. The Good: Some of the performances are spectacular and deserving of a much better movie than this. Gene Hackman hasn't been this good in ages, and he's one of the few reasons that this movie is watchable. The next reason is Rachel Weisz, who is the only actor Hackman has had in quite some time that is his equal in performance and in acting prowess. She is so good in fact that she does almost steal the film from him and then some. The city of New Orleans is a fascinating setting for this film but wrong because it's not the original setting of the book. The Bad: Dustin Hoffman is not really in the movie and is really a minor character in the whole story. Which is too bad because he's such a charismatic actor and deserves a much bigger role than what he had.

The next problem is the whole spy versus spy angle that makes the whole film into a joke because no one would go that far to rig a jury, especially in a case that would have been thrown out of a real court with the facts that was presented in the film. Which leads to . The Ugly: The script is really bad. How bad you say? It took almost four writers to outline the story, which bare in mind does not follow the book at all. The dialog is great in places and bad in others, and the whole structure of the film is paper-thin which is easily to blow holes thru. The story runs out of gas in the half way point of the film and the ideas express seems more like a bias view of what the law should be than a realistic view of what the law really is. I think the biggest offence the movie makes is changing the text of the original novel and making about guns other than big tobacco. John Grisham's original novel was hugely entertaining and down right poignant in its views about justice. This film seems like it has not idea where it's at from time to time and lacks a coherent narrative to even try to explain the stuff that is going on right in front of you.

Even with the good points, the bad does out weight the good here. It's a decent film because of the acting of Rachel Weisz and Gene Hackman but they like the viewer are let down with a script that lacks conviction for the subject it covers and a real point of view that expresses the feelings of the reality of the gun issue. Was the above review useful to you? 32 out of 40 people found the following review useful: A great ride from Cambs, England 26 July 2004 This was a movie that wasn't over-hyped, filled with talented actors and kept you watching all the way through. My rating is maybe a little generous but at the time just after watching it was one of most enjoyable movies I have watched for a long time, and I watch a lot (maybe too much ;) Hackman was flawless as usual as an actor and once again maintained his great screen presence. Hoffman really portrayed the idealistic lawyer character well. Weisz played the female lead with the right mix of the strong and vulnerable. And Cusack, well I consider him an intelligent actor. He looked once again intelligent, thoughtful in his acting.

The plot twists were not overdone but did offer some slight surprises which were hinted at along the way if you payed attention. Overall I'd recommend this movie to anyone, especially those who take their movies seriously. Was the above review useful to you? 36 out of 48 people found the following review useful: An Entertaining Thriller from England 30 January 2005 Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) is desperate to get on this jury. With a high powered Gun Manufacturer, at risk of being held responsible for selling the guns that are used in crime, the question is why. Gene Hackman is brought in for the defence as a jury consultant, who is at ease with digging up dirt and manipulating jurors, to get the results he wants. And Rachel Weisz is an outsider, pulling Easters strings. As the stakes get higher, there is no doubt that this Jury is For Sale, but will the highest bidder win. Hackman, Weisz and Cusack are all on top form for this one, but Hoffman's Character seemed to lack a little depth. Basically a good thriller, that is worth watching, but don't expect too much, you might feel let down.

7/10 from United States 2 June 2004 Good but a bit disappointing adaptation to the John Grisham thriller does not follow the book the way it should be, and lacks the momentum of the court proceedings that follow. The acting is first rate with Rachel Weisz and Gene Hackman being the standouts in a cast that includes Dustin Hoffman John Cusack, and Bruce Davidson. Weisz and Hackman's performances are of Oscar quality, despite the fact that the movie is not up to their caliber of acting. The setting is a little out of the way, and the pacing is a little off with scenes that go way to fast but the film is ultimately save by the acting by all involved, most of which is credited to Weisz and Hackman. 2 stars for Weisz and Hackman but don't expect anything close to the book. Was the above review useful to you? 22 out of 27 people found the following review useful: One of the better Grisham-adaptations 11 September 2004 *** This review may contain spoilers *** 'Runaway Jury' is one of the best movies based on a John Grisham novel.

The best is still 'The Rainmaker', probably because Francis Ford Coppola was the director who could work with a perfect ensemble of actors. Other Grisham adaptations have had terrific ensembles as well. 'The Firm' (1993) starred Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Holly Hunter, 'A Time to Kill' did it with Samuel L. Jackson, Matthhew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey, Donald Dutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris Cooper, Oliver Platt and Ashley Judd, and 'The Rainmaker' had to do it with only Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Claire Danes, Jon Voight, Mickey Rourke, Mary Kay Place and Danny Glover. Now here is 'Runaway Jury', starring John Cusack, Gene Hackman (in his third Grisham-movie), Dustin Hoffman and Rachel Weisz, a courtroom thriller that has suspense, keeps our attention and knows how to surprise. The good thing is that the movie seems to have no real good guy or girl. Hackman is Rankin Fitch, a guy who spies on possible jurors to make sure he chooses the right jury for his employers.

The way he does this make his the real bad guy. John Cusack is Nick Easter. He becomes a juror in a case that deals with guns and how their manufacturers are responsible for people getting killed. Fitch is on the side of the manufacturers, on the other side we have lawyer Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman). He represents a woman who wants to sue the gun-manufacturers because her husband was killed by one of their guns. At first the movie seems to be a courtroom drama but then we learn that juror Nick Easter has his own agenda. He wanted to be in that jury for something and his girlfriend Marlee (Rachel Weisz) has a lot to do with that. Nick and Marlee want to give the verdict to the person, Fitch or Rohr, who is willing to give them the highest amount of money. Fitch is interested right away but tries to prevent this in a lot of ways, Rohr slowly realizes that he has to make an offer as well since Marlee and Nick are able to show that they really own the jury. To tell you too much could spoil things for you, so this is enough for the plot.

With real suspense this movie keeps our attention and makes us forget that at some times things are not very plausible. There were moments I could have asked questions but during the movie I was not thinking about them, only after it was finished I realized that certain events simply had to happen to keep the movie going. The way the movie just kept on going made sure we were not even able to think about possible flaws. It was interesting the entire time. Director Gary Fleder ('Kiss the Girls', 'Don't Say a Word') has made his best thriller to date with the help of a nice story and some terrific performances. Cusack is able to do almost anything, Hoffman and Hackman are always reliable actors and sexy Weisz is perfect as the mysterious Marlee. Completely different from 'The Rainmaker', but almost as good as that one. Was the above review useful to you? 33 out of 50 people found the following review useful: Taut Thriller with Some Nice Twists from United States 7 March 2005 I must confess the main reason I adore this movie is because of Rachel Weisz, who is not only such a hottie in this film, but is absolutely perfect in her role as "Marlee".

Oh, and John Cusack is very good as well. The plot is not straightforward and the twists keep this from degenerating into a formulaic trial movie. The tension builds steadily. Gene Hackman makes an excellent bad guy as the lawyer for the gun industry and there are several good supporting roles, especially that of Bruce Mc Gill, as the judge. The only black mark on the film is Dustin Hoffman, who is either badly miscast or else just can't act anymore. I have seen this movie at least 10 times and I enjoy it every time. Was the above review useful to you? 16 out of 18 people found the following review useful: clever, well acted and entertaining 24 July 2005 *** This review may contain spoilers *** SPOILERS Hollywood loves adapting popular books. Whether it's classics, modern stories or the collective works of particular authors, films are forever being produced with adapted screenplays. One author who seems to be used a lot is intellectual writer John Grisham. Normally setting his stories in American courtrooms, his stories are often complex and twist based with strong resolutions.

'Runaway Jury' is no exception and in 2003, the film was turned into a feature film starring Gene Hackman and John Cusack. Well acted by everyone involved, it is an entertaining piece of work which leaves you thinking throughout before sticking on a conclusion you might well have predicted beforehand, but which you still enjoy seeing it reach. In a landmark trial, a woman is taking the gun companies to court for compensation after a major family loss. Leading the defence for the gun companies is the constantly victorious Rankin Finch (Gene Hackman). A regular at fixing juries in his favour, Finch finds himself facing a challenge this time when a couple, one a jury member (John Cusack) and one working behind the scenes (Rachel Weisz) decide to make money out of the same skills Finch employs so successfully. Whether Hackman, Cusack or Weisz, you don't see many moments in this film when the acting isn't superb. Regaining a form not seen for a fair few years, Hackman in particular is brilliant as a man who exploits the system for his own gain. He is closely challenged however by both Cusack and Weisz who give admirable performances in their respective roles.

The film as a whole is also incredibly clever. Leading you in multiple directions, the constant game of 'cat and mouse' is brilliantly played out with some noticeable surprises as well as some rather unexpected ones. It's true that there are moments when the story drags slightly and you find yourself feeling a bit bored, but the majority of the time the story is fast flowing and incredibly entertaining. Anyway, whatever your complaints about the script, the story is mostly entertaining and well acted. Led by a superb performance by Gene Hackman, when it's on a high the film is up there with the finest thrillers around in years. It's well worth watching, even if you normally can't stand this sort of film. Was the above review useful to you? 10 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Interesting adaptation, quite different from Grisham's novel from Palo Alto, CA 18 September 2004 This review is targeted at those who have read John Grisham's novel and might want to know how the movie compares to the book.

The largest and most controversial difference between the two is that while the trial in the book was about holding tobacco companies responsible for cigarette advertising, addiction, and lung cancer, the trial in the movie is a case of holding firearms companies responsible for encouraging guns to be sold to criminals. While the book centers around the law, as all Grisham novels do, the movie centers around gun control. Therefore, the movie can be quite political. Those who do not appreciate political statements in movies beware. The movie spends a lot more time on Wendall Rohr and Rankin Fitch, the plantiff's lawyer and the defendant's jury consultant. While Rohr is a flat character hardly mentioned in the book, the movie characterizes him as a man who still possesses some sense of the ideal practice of law. Fitch, pitiable and even slightly likable in the book, is shown as an utterly malicious man in the movie. The members of the jury are definitely not shown much in the movie. We don't get to watch exactly how Nicholas Easter befriends each one individually, and we are told less about each jury member. The psychology that is in the book is largely absent from the movie and replaced with a few scenes of dramatic flair.

The casting of the movie was GREAT. When I heard there was a Runaway Jury movie, I immediately imagined John Cusack as Nicholas Easter. Rachel Weisz, Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, and the actors who play members of the jury are almost as I pictured them as well! Because of this change in theme, the movie is much darker than the book. Extreme violence and arson make their way into jury manipulation. Fitch becomes a much more malevolent character. The ways in which members of the jury are bumped or released from jury duty are much darker than in the book. Little details that were altered to adapt to gun control instead of tobacco are interesting and appropriate. The movie is a different but well-done adaptation. Even if you don't enjoy the movie, it is interesting to compare it to the book. Was the above review useful to you?

Page 1 of 37: Runaway Jury (2003) starring John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Bruce Davison, Bruce McGill, Jeremy Piven, Nick Searcy, Stanley Anderson, Cliff Curtis directed by Gary Fleder - movie review on The Movie Scene Gene gets a Dustin' down from John's Jury Gentlemen, trials are too important to be left up to juries - Rankin Fitch "The best John Grisham adaptation since The Firm!" so it states on the cover of "Runaway Jury". Unfortunately it is anything but. "Runaway Jury" rarely follows the Grisham novel which it is adapted from and in doing so creates an enjoyable but hugely flawed movie with plot holes a plenty. It's another case of if you have read the book the movie will be a disappointment but for those who haven't it will most likely be enjoyable. When a lawyer is murdered in a gun massacre, his widow decides to take the gun manufacturer to court hiring Wendell Rohr ( Dustin Hoffman - Wag the Dog ), an idealistic and honest lawyer, to oversee the case for the prosecution.

Pulling the strings for the defence team is renowned jury consultant Rankin Fitch ( Gene Hackman - Behind Enemy Lines ) who will achieve the desired result no matter what the cost. With such a high profile case and with what could be a very expensive outcome, the importance of the perfect jury is crucial to both teams of lawyers. As the trial commences, the two teams are in for a huge shock, when they discover that juror, Nicholas Easter ( John Cusack - Serendipity ) is able to manipulate the jury and will do so for the right price. But as the trial comes towards an end, his motives along with his partners are not what they seem. "Runaway Jury" centres around a court case against one of America's biggest gun manufacturers where a juror has the power to control the jury, with his motivation being a huge payoff. In the Grisham novel, the court case is against a big tobacco giant, why they decided to change this is beyond me and straight away annoyed me as it gave the movie a completely different feel to the book.

The movie is split into 2 pretty distinct halves, with the first half covering the jury selection process and this is quite interesting as it shows the science behind how they pick juries as well as how someone can get themselves picked. The second half is watching Nicholas Easter manipulate the jury from the inside, this is where "Runaway Jury" goes down hill as the way he does this is feels very unreal and you are left to take a lot for granted. I would have thought that some of the things which happened would have caused the whole jury to be thrown out. The casting and the characters in "Runaway Jury" are also a bit disappointing as they are very much hit or miss. On the hit side is Gene Hackman as Rankin Fitch. In my opinion his performance is the best in the movie and he pretty much carries it on his shoulders. The only person to get anywhere near to his performance is Rachel Weisz as Marlee, Nicholas Easter's co-conspirator. Up until now I had not been a huge fan of Weisz, but this movie has changed my mind. On the miss side is John Cusack as Nicholas Easter, the man on the inside with the cunning to change a juries mind.

I honestly believe that Cusack did a good job, but the character he was portraying is too weak and does not come across as someone with the guile to manipulate a jury. Right at the bottom of the casting is Dustin Hoffman as the prosecuting lawyer, Wendell Rohr. Rohr's character is not really explored in the movie and is a complete waste of the talented Mr. Hoffman. The rest of the cast put in over acted performances which at times looked as if they came straight out of an amateur theatre production. "Runaway Jury" is directed by Gary Fleder who had previously directed "Kiss the Girls". I don't often say this, but I feel he could have done a heck of a lot better and made this a much better thriller. For some reason he has got some of the cast over acting, which is quite distracting. But not only that, between him and the four screen writers, yes four screen writers, he has adapted what is a very good novel with a solid story into a very weak movie which leaves you feeling cheated. Another disappointment was the fact that "Runaway Jury" has been set in New Orleans and not as in the book, Biloxi, Mississippi.

Why they decided to relocate the story is again a mystery as it does not play a huge part in the movie. Fleder's only saving graces in "Runaway Jury", is that he has kept the pace of the movie at a decent level, and that he manages to keep you hanging on for the next plot twist. What this all boils down is that personally I didn't find "Runaway Jury" to be that good, but I'm sure my viewpoint is clouded by the fact that I had expected it to be like the Grisham novel. If I try and look at the movie as not an adaptation of the book, then it is a reasonable thriller if not a little flawed. Sadly it is spoilt by a weak plot and some terrible over acting. All I can say is that if you have read the novel then give this adaptation a miss or be prepared to be disappointed. Runaway Jury - Wikiquote Runaway Jury Runaway Jury is 2003 film starring John Cusack , Gene Hackman , Dustin Hoffman and Rachel Weiz about a couple who sell the jury's verdict of a high-profile case to the highest bidder. Directed by Gary Fleder. Based on the novel written by John Grisham .

Trials are too important to be decided by juries. London Lodge Motel, New Orleans . Contents Rankin Fitch[ edit ] Gentlemen, trials are too important to be left up to juries. You think your average juror is King Solomon ? No! He's a roofer with a mortgage. He wants to go home and sit in his Barcalounger and let the cable TV wash over him. And this man doesn't give a single, solitary droplet of shit about truth, justice or your American way. Everybody has a secret they don't want you to find. Find it! We like fat women, people! Ah, I hate Baptists almost as much as I hate Democrats . You may be right, but the thing of it is, I don't give a shit. What's more... I never have. Ladies and Gentlemen, this girl is an amateur. Do you understand? A dilettante. And I want this nonsense ended today! I want you to find her. I want you to contain her! Because you're losing me my jury! What do you hope to achieve if you win? You gonna bring Jacob Wood back to life? No.

You just ensure that his wife goes to the cemetery in a better car, and that the heel that she snaps on the way to the graveside belongs to a $1,200 shoe. You get your name in the paper. But Jacob Wood and all the other gun violence victims remain rotting in their crypts. Other[ edit ] Nicholas Easter: [after anti-gun fanatic is dragged kicking and screaming from the courtroom during jury selection, even though he claims he want to be heard] Well, I guess that's lunch... Henry Jankle: ...I was under the impression that we'd already purchased ourselves a verdict. Wendell Rohr: Gentlemen, I have lost my footing in this trial. Judge Harkin: I'm not sure, but I believe I'm buying lunch. Doyle: It's a set-up. Don't do it!

Question: What 2003 film, starring John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman and Rachel Weisz, was based on a book by John Grisham?
Answer: Runaway Jury