i purchased this dvd for $6 the other day, not expecting that much out of the movie. i was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. i’m not usually a fan of john grisham book-turned-movies, but perhaps runaway jury has changed my mind.

i’d heard of jury consultants before the movie, but i wasn’t sure exactly what they did. although i’m sure gene hackman’s character was a tad bit exaggerated of what really goes on behind the scenes, it was interesting to see how much psychology and “reading of people” actually go into the selection of jury members for the plaintiff and defence, especially for high profile cases. the story itself is very captivating. you’re not sure what to expect until the very end, and the conclusion itself is really good.

john cusack and rachel weisz work very well together in this film. but the coolest thing about the performances is that dustin hoffman and gene hackman finally got to work together after so many years. the two men did excellent jobs throughout runaway jury, playing diametrically opposed views of the law and of justice in america. if you have the dvd, check out the special feature where hoffman and hackman shoot the shit about their friendship; it’s so funny!