The Rainmaker
It’s not immediately clear when you watch the film for the first time, but repeat viewings of “The Rainmaker” show Francis Ford Coppola creating as vivid a world for Rudy Baylor as he has for other characters in his literary adaptations, whether it’s “The Godfather,” “The Outsiders” or “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” That the film feels less all-enveloping in its visual style as those films are is not a case of Coppola and cinematographer John Toll failing at that attempt, but in understanding that the appeal of John Grisham’s prose is less about stylized worlds, but pot-boiler drama that an audience can just fall into. That’s part of why I love this film as much as I do.
Rudy Baylor- among the protagonists of the films adapted from Grisham’s novels, is arguably the most earnest and good-natured of the bunch. Part of me wonders if this would have been a bigger success- the the vein of “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief” and “A Time to Kill”- if it had come out post-“Good Will Hunting,” but the truth is, by this point I think audiences might have been feeling Grisham fatigue, and it’s a shame, because Matt Damon’s Rudy might be the most engaging lead in a Grisham adaptation, partially because of how much the character grows throughout the film. He is seeing the legal system from a lot of different sides in this film, and so, when he comes to the conclusions he does in the end, we see exactly why he would feel the way he does. He’s a Boy Scout, but he also understands the compromises life forces us into by the end. He might be the only Grisham protagonist where I’d love to see a continuation with this character down the road.
As soon as Elmer Bernstein’s Blues-inspired main theme kicks in during the opening credits, I sense we’re in for something unique among Grisham narratives, and that holds true for the film’s 135 minutes. Yes, Rudy Baylor is someone just coming out of law school, and yes, he’ll have to navigate his way through the legal system in a way that school could never prepare himself for, but this is a true underdog narrative at play. Rudy first met Donny Ray Black and his family in law school- they came to seek advice about an insurance claim that was denied for Donny Ray, who is dying from Leukemia. The insurance company is not paying, even though the Blacks are, and Rudy wants to help them. Even though his prospects getting out of school are limited to working with an attorney (played magnificently by Mickey Rourke) with ties to the mob, and an assistant (Danny DeVito, who’s always fantastic when against the edges of legality) who hasn’t passed the bar exam, he cares about his clients. He also cares about going about the profession in an “ethical” way, which- for him- doesn’t include ambulance chasing or manipulating situations for his clients. But whether it’s the Black’s case against their insurance company, or an old woman (played wonderfully by Teresa Wright) sorting out her will, or a young wife (Claire Danes, sweet and vulnerable) in an abusive marriage, he’s going to have to get past that if he’s going to help any of them.
While the film was very much a director-for-hire project for Coppola, I love that he found a way into this material that makes it feel less like an assembly line Grisham film, and more personal. The score is part of what plays into that, and voiceover by Damon is another thing. This might be one of the strongest uses of narration in recent memory. Written by Michael Herr (“Apocalypse Now,” “Full Metal Jacket”), the narration is used to set the world Rudy is getting himself into, as well as personal thoughts racing through his head at key moments. This isn’t a case where it is overused; when it comes in, it has a narrative purpose, and Damon delivers it well. This was before anyone really knew what Damon was capable of, and it’s a great showcase for him. He can stand tall with heavyhitters like Jon Voight as Leo Drummond (the insurance company’s lead counsel), Dean Stockwell as the prickly first judge in the case, and Danny Glover as the amiable, empathetic judge who hears the case, along with DeVito, Rourke, Virginia Madsen as a former claims handler, and Roy Schneider as the insurance company CEO. Coppola always brings together amazing casts for his films, and just lets them eat.
The Black family is played by Mary Kay Place (Dot Black), Donny Ray (Johnny Whitworth) and Buddy (Red West). One of the things the film plays with thematically is how the American legal system, and healthcare system, is stacked against the poor. On the page, the Blacks are written as archetypes, but all three actors do a great job imbuing them with a strong sense of humanity. Buddy in particular could have just been a silly trope of an oddball poor person, but there’s quiet devastation in West’s performance by the end that just flattens you. And Dot is just doing what she can, and she has to put her trust in the system to do what’s right for her family. Her reactions at the end encapsulate the emotions the character cannot help but feel in those moments.
In terms of legal thrillers, I think “The Rainmaker” is a very good one, but I won’t say it’s great. It definitely lifts from better films like “The Verdict” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and doesn’t have the collective weight of “A Few Good Men” in how it tackles its legal ambiguities. That being said, each time I watch it, I remember why I love the film all over again. It’s one of my favorite under-the-radar entertainments from the time when I really first started to explore films. “The Godfather” it is not, but it definitely has the same degree of craftsmanship and elevation that one does, from a filmmaker who has always been one of the best in terms of creating worlds.
