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This tale takes a unique approach to the courtroom drama, the art and science of jury selection and the perversion of the law by a high-powered jury selection consulting firm led by Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman). He's been engaged by a prominent gun manufacturer that's being sued by the widow of a man gunned down with an illegally purchased assault weapon. The woman is represented by Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman), a decent practitioner who believes in the process of the law.  

We're submerged into the practice of the consulting firm's scrutinizing each potential juror. Privacy laws and morality don't deter the researchers as they dig deep to uncover hidden agendas, motivations, and dirty little secrets. Fitch and his team are skilled at guiding the defense attorney during jury selection, but Fitch is so intent on winning, he's not above jury tampering. And it is jury tampering that's at the core of this drama. One of the potential jurors is Nicholas Easter (John Cusack), a man seemingly reluctant to serve and a man whose past is hidden to Fitch. Despite that red flag, Easter's acting out before the presiding judge to avoid serving motivates Fitch to recommend his acceptance. That is a mistake.

Easter and his girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz), are scheming to do a little tampering of their own and play both sides. They approach each attorney with an offer to fix the trial for a small fortune. So there are three forces at work here, the defendant's attorney, the plaintiff's attorney, and a pair of grifters working the inside out. The situation is ripe for high drama and the players and the filmmakers deliver. The intelligent screenplay and the sure hand of director Gary Fleder (responsible for the fine thrillers Don't Say a Word and Kiss the Girls) maintain a tense pace. Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman, appearing onscreen together for the first time, are splendid as the sparing antagonists. John Cusack and Rachel Weisz are chameleon-like as they manipulate jurors and lawyers, intent on perverting the system for their own ends.  

The underlying issue is compelling as well. Just as The Insider took on Big Tobacco, Runaway Jury takes on gun manufacturers that are oblivious to the illegal sale of arms that too often find their way into the hands of the dangerous or the unstable. Perhaps oblivious is inappropriate, too passive. Just as Big Tobacco campaigns directly or indirectly against laws to protect nonsmokers from second hand smoke, I have the distinct impression that gun manufacturers oppose laws that would impede the flow of weapons into the hands of "consumers."  Before card carrying members of the NRA send any nasty e-mails, allow me to point out that I own a legally purchased and licensed semiautomatic handgun. But I am offended by the concept of gun manufacturers, such as the one portrayed in this film, hiding behind the Second Amendment of the Constitution by quoting it out of context. The complete amendment reads, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."  I have yet to find anyone who can explain how the existing proliferation of arms in America represents a "well regulated militia."

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film's theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is presented in anamorphic video. This is another very fine transfer by Digital Video Compression Center for Fox Home Entertainment. Small object detail and fine textures are excellent, thanks to the utter banishment of edge halos. Have a look at Dustin Hoffman's jacket during his closing statement to the jury. The fine- grained pattern is razor sharp. Color, based on flesh tones, is spot on with no chroma noise and no smearing. I didn't notice any mosquito noise or macroblocking. My only complaint is a slight black crush that impedes shadow detail.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is quite fine, but this film is all about dialog. Sound effects and surround effects are secondary; each is reasonably well done, but neither is dramatic, with one exception. During the opening sequence, a deranged gunman armed with a semiautomatic handgun with a thirty-six round extended clip goes on an office rampage. The gunfire is visceral, felt as well as heard. Only a fine subwoofer will deliver each shot to the solar plexus. The effective score by Christopher Young is conveyed with convincing fidelity across a wide soundstage. The critically important dialog remains crystal clear throughout.  

The alternate languages are in French and Spanish, each presented in Dolby Surround 2.0. Subtitles in Spanish and English are available, as are Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

Considering the quality of the video and its runtime of 127 minutes, I was unprepared for the generous array of extras on this DVD. There is a collection of deleted scenes and featurettes that have an aggregate running time of a tad under one hour; they are presented as a mix of full screen and non-anamorphic widescreen.

But before we get to those, we begin with a feature-length, screen-specific commentary by director Gary Fleder. Fleder takes us through the intended emotional underpinnings of the scenes, explaining intent, how the players conveyed those emotions, and how editing and camera techniques enhance the intended experience. He does spend more time than I would have liked analyzing the nature of the plot and the motivations of the characters. I would have preferred a more technical approach to the making of the film, like his explanation of the evolution of the camera techniques in the courthouse to reflect the emotional progress of the plot as the film progresses. The most compelling attribute of his commentary is his expression of technique as it relates to conveying emotional impact.

There are two deleted scenes that may be played with and without director's commentary. They are Nick Calls Marlee from the Motel (1:05) and Someone's on the Take (0:50). I think you'll find that neither would have propelled the story forward and, in fact, the latter actually distracts. These two well-played scenes have found a more appropriate home as DVD supplements. And there are two scenes with commentary in which Dustin Hoffman or Gene Hackman are seen in a separate window to offer their comments as the original sequence is shown in a separate window in the bottom of the frame. Included are The Washroom: Dustin Hoffman (3:52) and The Bar: Gene Hackman (2:32). Each actor provides interesting observations and hints about their dramatic approaches; these two scenes telegraph their welcome dominance of the supplements.  

Exploring the Scene: Hackman & Hoffman Together (13:59) focuses on the historical event of Hoffman and Hackman playing their first onscreen scene together, a confrontation in the men's room of the courthouse. Fleder is the overall narrator, but the two prominent players discuss the experience as well. We're given the opportunity of watching rehearsal, blocking, and shooting. But the most interesting part of the sequence was the actors' exploration of their own psychologies and the insecurities they have in common that propel their performances. Off the Cuff: Hackman & Hoffman is an impromptu conversation between the featured players in which we learn of their long-standing friendship and history together. Nearly fifty years of history and the missed opportunities of working together are condensed into a featurette that runs four seconds short of nine minutes. I enjoyed their stories and anecdotes.

The Ensemble: Acting (4:23) gives the floor to Cusack and Weisz as they describe the appeal of their roles and what drew them into the show. You will, of course, find quite a bit of backslapping here. Several of the supporting players are also given a chance to offer some brief comments. With The Making of Runaway Jury (12:02), we finally reach the fluffy featurette that tells the viewer entirely too much. Punctuated with many excerpts from the film, the principle players discuss the plot and to a lesser extent, the nature of their characters. You should avoid all the shorts before watching the feature, but particularly avoid this one.

Shadow and Light: Cinematography (5:48) is a tribute to cinematographer Robert Elswit. The director describes Elswit's approach and his knack for interacting with the players. The cinematographer offers a few observations of his own and we see him at work on the set. A Vision of New Orleans: Production Design (5:07) is a particularly interesting piece. Production Designer Nelson Coates gives us a tour of the courtroom set, revealing many secrets that are hidden from viewers' eyes. I was intrigued by the design's ability to change the elevation of key seating to accommodate camera moves. Similarly interesting is the set's ability to move components and break down to accept camera equipment for various shooting angles. The short drives home the need for form and function in set design. Rhythm: The Craft of Editing (5:04) highlights the work of film editor William Steinkamp. He and the director describe the contributions of the editor and how the pace and rhythm of a film and its emotional impact are highly dependent on how scenes are constructed in the editing bay.

The last special feature is a trailer for the upcoming Denzel Washington vehicle, Man on Fire (2:33), presented in anamorphic video. The 127-minute film is organized into twenty-eight chapters.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

There are no ROM extras on the disc.

Parting Thoughts