Every day, AlloCiné suggests a movie to watch or rewatch on TV. Tonight: Francis Ford Coppola takes on the establishment in a compelling courtroom drama.
When you think of Francis Ford Coppola, titles like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, or Dracula immediately come to mind. However, it would be a mistake to overlook other films in the maestro’s oeuvre that, although excellent, have remained overshadowed by these more famous works.
Among these lesser-known but high-quality films directed by Coppola, who recently stirred up controversy with his latest project Megalopolis, is the potent thriller The Rainmaker, released in 1998. This courtroom film, adapted from the works of prolific novelist John Grisham (who also penned The Firm and The Pelican Brief), stars a young Matt Damon.
In The Rainmaker, Matt Damon plays Rudy Baylor, a naive and penniless young lawyer living in Memphis, a city teeming with legal professionals. After visiting numerous firms, he finally lands a job at one of the less reputable ones, run by a shady businessman with ties to the local mafia. Baylor is soon assigned a cunning and energetic mentor who quickly enlightens him on the hidden realities of his new profession. Rudy takes on three cases, including one against a formidable and powerful insurance company.
Coppola Takes on the System
A brilliant indictment of a system more interested in profit than humanity, The Rainmaker is an engrossing courtroom drama that delves into the backstage of the American judicial system. Released the same year as Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon, excellent as the idealistic lawyer, joins an outstanding cast including Danny DeVito, Claire Danes, Jon Voight, and Mickey Rourke.
Featured at the closing of the Berlin Film Festival, The Rainmaker, also produced by the likes of Michael Douglas, is a robust thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last minute. This lesser-known work by the great Coppola definitely deserves a second look!
Tonight on Arte at 9 PM
Trailer for “Megalopolis,” the latest film by Francis Ford Coppola:
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A passionate journalist, Iris Lennox covers social and cultural news across the U.S.