Trailer

The Rainmaker (1997)

PG-13   |    |  Crime, Drama, Thriller

The Rainmaker (1997) Poster

An underdog lawyer takes on a fraudulent insurance company.

TIP
Add this title to your Watchlist
Save movies and shows to keep track of what you want to watch.
7.1/10
55,377
Rate
72 Metascore

Videos

Photos

  • Andy Garcia at an event for The Rainmaker (1997)
  • Matt Damon and Mary Kay Place in The Rainmaker (1997)
  • Matt Damon in The Rainmaker (1997)
  • Matt Damon in The Rainmaker (1997)
  • Matt Damon at an event for The Rainmaker (1997)
  • Claire Danes at an event for The Rainmaker (1997)

See all photos

More of What You Love

Find what you're looking for even quicker with the IMDb app on your smartphone or tablet.

Get the IMDb app
Facebook
Twitter
E-mail

Awards

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Another 2 wins & 9 nominations.

Reviews & Commentary

Add a Review

User Reviews
6 April 2007 | lastliberal
8
| Do not compare to the book.
Readers are usually disappointed when a favorite book is translated to film. If you are looking for a Grisham thriller here, you will be disappointed. But, if you are looking for a courtroom drama with a great cast, then this is a great film.

Matt Damon shines as Rudy, recently out of law school, who sets up an office with Deck Schifflet (Danny DeVito) who is still trying to pass his bar exam. He also finds a place to stay with Miss Birdie (Teresa Wright) who has hired him to handle her estate papers.

Rudy is drawn to the plight of Kelly (Claire Danes), a working-class girl whose husband has battered her with a baseball bat. But the real drama is centered on Great Benefit, an insurance company that has refused to pay a claim of one of its policy holders.

Dot Black (Mary Kay Place) whose son is dying of leukemia is suing the company for denying her claim. In the courtroom, the unpolished Rudy is forced to square off against Leo F. Drummond (Jon Voight), a corporate lawyer who knows all the tricks of the trade. This David versus Goliath battle is well worth watching.

Damon, De Vito and Voight, along with Claire Danes and Danny Glover shine in this film.

So, forget the book and enjoy a great film.

Metacritic Reviews

Critic Reviews

More Like This

  • Runaway Jury

    Runaway Jury

  • A Time to Kill

    A Time to Kill

  • The Client

    The Client

  • The Pelican Brief

    The Pelican Brief

Did You Know?

Trivia

To get Dean Stockwell in the proper mood, Francis Ford Coppola had him pretend to be a sadistic monarch, who sentenced every cast member to a beheading.

Quotes

Rudy Baylor: My father hated lawyers all his life. He wasn't a great guy, my old man. He drank and beat up my mother; he beat me up too. So you might think I became a lawyer just to piss him off. But you'd be wrong. I wanted to be a lawyer ever since I read ...

Goofs

While Kelly is in custody, she and Rudy hold hands under the table. When the female officers come in, their hands are apart and on the table without having moved.

Crazy Credits

There is a credit for "Poet in Residence".

Soundtracks

Baby Scratch My Back
Written by James Moore
Performed by James Moore (as Slim Harpo)
Courtesy of MCA Records
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

Storyline

Plot Summary

Synopsis (WARNING: Spoilers)

Genres

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Details

Release Date:

21 November 1997

Language

English

Country of Origin

USA, Germany

Filming Locations

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$10,626,507 (USA) (23 November 1997)

Gross:

$45,856,732 (USA) (15 March 1998)

User Polls

The Volunteer State Movies
Best final address by counsel
Favorite John Grisham Adaptation
Alternate Storylines for Famous Films - Part I

Carla Gugino's Favorite TV Performances

"Jett" star Carla Gugino's Watchlist is filled with some big-time Emmy contenders. Find out what she's watching!

Watch now

Featured on IMDb

See what movies and TV series IMDb editors are excited about this month and check out our guide to superheroes, horror movies, and more.

Around The Web

 | 

Powered by ZergNet

More To Explore

Search on Amazon.com