John Grisham's The Rainmaker Details

Rising above every other John Grisham adaptation, Francis Ford Coppola's riveting courtroom drama is an exceptionally well-crafted film. Matt Damon is excellent as the inexperienced Memphis lawyer thrown into the lion's den when he takes on the case of a young man dying of leukaemia, whose insurance company refuses to honour his claim. There's also a marvellous supporting cast, including Jon Voight as the slimiest lawyer imaginable and Claire Danes as a battered wife sheltered by Damon. Grisham's scenarios often feel contrived and mechanical, but not this time. Foregoing the genre's usual serpentine plotting in favour of emotional depth and well-rounded characters, this is courtroom cinema at its very best.

A well-made, satisfying account of a David versus Goliath contest that makes effective use of all the suspenseful tricks of courtroom dramas.