Shazam!
High Life
Widows
The Walking Dead
Log in with Facebook
OR
By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango.
Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password.
We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified.
Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service.
No consensus yet.
All Critics (36) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (8) | DVD (2)
You know, there are more exciting trials on free TV. Aug 16, 2017 | Rating: 1.5/5 | Full Review…
You know, there are more exciting trials on free TV.
Gene Siskel
It's a successful frame-turner, no more, no less, and the pleasure we feel is every bit as mild and just as fleeting. Apr 12, 2002 | Full Review…
It's a successful frame-turner, no more, no less, and the pleasure we feel is every bit as mild and just as fleeting.
Rick Groen
A high-voltage charge of suspense, action and humor. May 12, 2001
A high-voltage charge of suspense, action and humor.
Peter Travers
Mindless, non-taxing fun, especially if you haven't read the book. Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…
Mindless, non-taxing fun, especially if you haven't read the book.
Desson Thomson
Not as satisfying as it should be. Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
Not as satisfying as it should be.
Roger Ebert
This isn't a masterpiece of suspense, but it has its moments and is capable of providing some light summer entertainment. Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
This isn't a masterpiece of suspense, but it has its moments and is capable of providing some light summer entertainment.
James Berardinelli
Susan Sarandon, the emotional center of the narrative, received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for playing a recovered alcoholic laywer who interacts with the boy as a surrogate mother and a pro. Jun 15, 2005 | Rating: B- | Full Review…
Susan Sarandon, the emotional center of the narrative, received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for playing a recovered alcoholic laywer who interacts with the boy as a surrogate mother and a pro.
Emanuel Levy
An engrossing potboiler ... if you don't think too hard. But when you need a pot-smoking Lez Zeppelin-enslaved swamp rat-with-a-brain to plead your case, you call the pitch-perfect Susan Sarandon. Jun 14, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
An engrossing potboiler ... if you don't think too hard. But when you need a pot-smoking Lez Zeppelin-enslaved swamp rat-with-a-brain to plead your case, you call the pitch-perfect Susan Sarandon.
Jonathan R. Perry
Boring cliche Grisham movie. Sep 26, 2003 | Rating: 2/5
Boring cliche Grisham movie.
Fred Topel
A lively screen translation of another legal drama by John Grisham Jul 19, 2003 | Full Review…
A lively screen translation of another legal drama by John Grisham
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Pretty decent John Grisham adaptation Feb 19, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Pretty decent John Grisham adaptation
Kevin Fiddler
Grisham's best novel-to-screen adaptation. Feb 10, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Grisham's best novel-to-screen adaptation.
Shannon J. Harvey
I've been a fan of this ever since I was a kid, and back then, I was really in love with it, even though some of it went over my head, and I might have been a little too young to appreciate some of it. But, I've since read the book and watched it a few more times, and yeah, I think it holds up pretty nicely. The plot follows that of a troubled young kid named Mark who, just before witnessing the suicide of a mob lawyer, became privy to some vital information. His brother is comatose due to also witnessing the death, and not only that, but Mark now finds himself hunted by both the mob who want to kill him and a determined federal attorney who wants to make him talk, possibly by force if needed. To help himself out, he gets representation from a recovering alkie lawyer, and their teaming up leads to healing and help for both of them. Like I said, I saw this as a kid, so nostalgia plays a big role here for me. As a kid, I was initially not allowed to see this, becaue my parents thought it was a pretty hard PG-13, but eventually they lightened up, and it became a film we all would watch together once in a while. Since the source material is John Grisham, you know it's gonna be a pretty breezy and thrilling ride, but not without heart and some depth. The cast populating this thing is quite remarkable. Brad Renfro made his debut here as Mark, and it was a great start to an unfortunately short career. Being somewhat unprofessional allowed his natural charisma and confidence to shine through, and he embodies Mark's mix of street-wise toughness and vulnerability with confidence and ease. To back him up, we gets the likes of Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon, Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony LaPaglia, Anthony Edwards, Ossie Davis, J.T. Walsh. And, they all deliver some good work. This is one of the stronger efforts from Schumacher, and it came out before he began to get swept up in bloated super mainstream crap that, while sometimes entertaining, really doesn't matter.
Super Reviewer
pretty good court room drama
Actually one of the only John Grisham novels that I've liked and this was definitely the best movie adaption. There's some great performances from essentially everyone and the story seemed to make more sense than it originally did. Joel Schumacher did a great job making this an accessible and fun movie that wasn't full of itself.
i really enjoyed this movie it has a fantastic cast with some of my favourite actors and actresses, i found this movie funny , compelling on the seat tension and great action and fantastic acting! a couple of kids witness a suicide and get told information that could ruin the mafia so the boy is troubed in whether he shoulld tell the lawyers or keep his silence to keep his family safe! compelling drama action worth a watch!
View All Quotes
View All