Year: 1998
Runtime: 115 min
Language: English
Director: Steven Zaillian
Budget: $75M
A determined lawyer finds himself in a legal battle that becomes increasingly complex and personally devastating. Jan Schlichtmann takes on what appears to be a simple personal-injury case but soon discovers a web of corporate deceit and hidden dangers. The relentless pursuit of justice tests his resolve and threatens to consume him as he confronts powerful adversaries and unravels dark secrets within the case.
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Explore the full timeline and setting of A Civil Action (1998). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.
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Meet the key characters of A Civil Action (1998), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.
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Explore the central themes of A Civil Action (1998), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.
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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
When a single-minded quest for justice or truth threatens to consume the protagonist.If you were captivated by the relentless drive and personal sacrifice in A Civil Action, explore more movies where individuals become consumed by a high-stakes quest. These similar legal and corporate dramas feature protagonists whose fight for justice comes at devastating personal cost.
The narrative follows a protagonist who enters a conflict with clear conviction, only to have the battle grow in complexity and personal stakes. As they invest more resources and identity into the fight, the pressure mounts, leading to significant personal and professional losses. The journey is often a cautionary tale about the cost of obsession, sometimes ending with a pyrrhic victory or a bittersweet resolution.
These films are grouped by their focus on a central, obsessive character arc set against a high-stakes conflict. They share a tense, draining tone, a steady, methodical pacing that builds pressure, and a heavy emotional weight derived from the protagonist's sacrifices.
Stories of systemic injustice where individuals challenge faceless corporations.For viewers who liked the corporate malfeasance and environmental disaster themes of A Civil Action, this list features similar movies about challenging powerful institutions. Discover more tense dramas where characters fight complex legal and ethical battles against systemic injustice.
The plot typically involves the discovery of a hidden danger or injustice (like pollution or fraud) caused by a large organization. The protagonist must navigate a labyrinth of legal and bureaucratic obstacles, often facing intimidation and resource disparity. The narrative explores themes of greed, accountability, and the moral conflict between doing what is right and what is easy, frequently culminating in a bittersweet or ambiguous outcome that reflects the difficulty of achieving true justice.
These films share a core thematic focus on challenging powerful, often corrupt, systems. They are united by a tense and sobering tone, complex narrative structures involving legal or investigative processes, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from the human cost of corporate actions.
Don't stop at just watching — explore A Civil Action in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what A Civil Action is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of A Civil Action, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
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Discover movies like A Civil Action that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
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