Director: Grey Fleder
Cast: John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Bruce Mcgill, Rachel Weisz
 Yet another one of John Grisham's novels makes it to cellulloid with the legal system as its base and intrigue and suspense woven in. The audience, led into thinking of the apparent motives of the main players, is in for a surprise when the script takes an unexpected turn towards the end.
Set in present-day Orleans, it centers on a case against a gun manufacturer by the widow of a man who had been killed in a shooting spree. The widow's claim that the company knew that the store which sold the weapon was not obeying the law about firearms, would cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars if she won the case.
 They hire a professional jury consultant, Fitch (Hackman), with money and blackmail being no problem in swinging the vote in their favour. On the side of the widow is her lawyer Rohr (Hoffman) and jury consultant Green (Piven). Nick Easter (John Cusack), summoned for jury duty, has his own plans, with girl friend Marlee (Weisz) helping him from outside. For a certain sum of money, he would swing the jury either way, claims Easter to both sides. But was money the sole motive, the audience would discover as the plot unfolds.
It's an engaging film with an interesting star cast. Definitely worth a watch.
Malini Mannath
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Runaway Jury
