MOVIE · 1998

A Civil Action

Drama115 min

Jan Schlickmann is a personal-injury lawyer who expects a quick settlement when families in Woburn, Massachusetts bring him a case tied to contaminated water and childhood leukemia. Instead, the suit grows into a fight with major companies, and Jan’s pursuit of a payout turns into an obsession that drains his money, his practice, and his focus on what his clients need. John Travolta is Jan, pushing deeper into the case as evidence and setbacks pile up, while Robert Duvall stands on the other side of the courtroom as a seasoned corporate attorney. Inspired by a true case from 1980s Massachusetts, the story tracks an environmental lawsuit as it consumes everyone involved.