 A film in three minutes. The Rainmaker Your honor, if it pleased the court, may I enter into evidence exhibit J. J. for John Grisham, author of best-selling legal thrillers which include A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and the topic of today's video. The 1997 feature film adaptation of his sixth book. Starring Matt Damon in the lead role as a young, unemployed legal graduate named Rudy Baylor, the story follows Baylor's struggles in representing the family of leukemia victim Donnie Ray Black, whose health insurance provider Great Benefit has continually denied Black the bone marrow transplant needed to save his life. As Black's health worsens, his family desperately attempt to sue the insurance provider for failing to provide their son treatment. But representing for the defense is attorney Leo F. Drummond, played by John Voight, whose slimy, utterly unscrupulous, quasi-legal method stand in direct contrast with Baylor's naive inexperience. However, not all hope is lost for the fledgling lawyer, in the form of his paralegal aide Dex Schiffett, played by Danny DeVito, a morally dubious ambulance chaser with street smarts that could help Baylor win the case. Directed by none other than one Francis Ford Coppola, The Rainmaker's reputation has grown to become one of the most widely respected adaptations of John Grisham's Its accurate portrayal of Tennessee's legal system, along with specific attention to tiny details in the case Baylor tries to win, is notable for its authenticity, and stands as a shocking denunciation of the exploitative and ruthless American healthcare system from that period. The roster of supporting characters, from Danny Glover as the acerbic judge, to Claire Danes as a woman caught in an abusive relationship, to Mickey Rourke as a future lawyer with a sharp legal mind, adds a refreshing and, at times, quirky richness absent in other legal thrillers with an ensemble cast. John Voight exudes a scene-chewing pompous arrogance that makes him easily one of the most memorable legal antagonists from Grisham's oeuvre, with Matt Damon placing rocks in his shoes during the filming of a deposition scene between the two men in order to enhance his hatred towards Voight's character. Damon, for his money, gives his best performance from his early career, playing the, at times, hapless Baylor with a charming likeability who shines at his best when faced with the onslaught of overwhelming legal odds. The many scenes involving legal skull duggery, such as when Baylor's office is bugged by opposing counsel with listening devices, leading to a hilarious faked attempt at tampering with a jury member, provides insight into the many nuances and questionable methods law firms have undertaken in the real world. Being the rainmaker, not just a convincing tort legal drama, but easily one of the most eye-opening movies to date that delves into the American state legal system, whilst at the same time not losing sight of what the letter of the law is really about, the dignity and sanctity of human life. And with that, your honor, I rest my case.