Perverse and alienating aren't adjectives you'd normally associate
with John Grisham, and it's not only Altman's creepily off-kilter
direction that makes this a really bizarre watch. Grisham's only
original screenplay starts from his well-worn mark (trailer,
probably: "For brilliant attorney Rick Magruder...") but
keeps running crazily into the wrong lane, as Branagh's Magruder lands
a bit on the side (Davidtz) and tries to get her bonkers father (Duvall)
put away. Either unwatchably confused, or a Long Goodbye to the legal
thriller depending on your mood; its Georgia setting is relentlessly
darkened with storms and general murk. Branagh overdoes the accent,
Downey steals the show, and Duvall totally freaks you out.
