A Civil Action

"Justice has its price."

Jan 8 1999 PG-13 1h 55m
Drama

Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.

Plot

Jan Schlichtmann, a tenacious lawyer, is addressed by a group of families. When investigating the seemingly non-profiting case, he finds it to be a major environmental issue that has a lot of impact potential. A leather production company could be responsible for several deadly cases of leukemia, but also is the main employer for the area. Schlichtmann and his three colleagues set out to have the company forced to decontaminate the affected areas, and of course to sue for a major sum of compensation. But the lawyers of the leather company's mother company are not easy to get to, and soon Schlichtmann and his friends find themselves in a battle of mere survival.

Written by

Jonathan Harr, Steven Zaillian

Directed by

Steven Zaillian

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Wildwood Enterprises, Paramount, Touchstone Pictures

Languages

English

Awards

Nominated for 2 Oscars. 5 wins & 10 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
31,753
Average Rating
6.6 out of 10
Metascore
68
Popularity
NA