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MTDb › Best of › 1998 › A Civil Action

A Civil Action poster

A Civil Action (1998)

“Justice has its price.”

6.5/10 · 514 votes 1h 55m pg-13 Drama

#78 of 123 films from 1998 #2724 of 3759 in drama

Directed by Steven Zaillian · Written by Steven Zaillian

▶ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

Jan Schlickmann is a cynical lawyer who goes out to 'get rid of' a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients' goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.

Cast

John Travoltaas Jan Schlichtmann
Robert Duvallas Jerome Facher
Tony Shalhoubas Kevin Conway
William H. Macyas James Gordon
Željko Ivanekas Bill Crowley
Bruce Norrisas William Cheeseman
John Lithgowas Judge Walter J. Skinner
Kathleen Quinlanas Anne Anderson
Peter Jacobsonas Neil Jacobs
Mary Maraas Kathy Boyer
James Gandolfinias Al Love
Stephen Fryas Pinder
Denise Dowseas Judge Constance Mullen
Dan Hedayaas John Riley

Facts

Release dateDecember 25, 1998
Runtime115 min (1h 55m) — about the same as the 1998 average of 109 min
GenresDrama
LanguageEN
Budget$70,000,000
Box office$56,709,981 (0.8× budget)
IMDbtt0120633

More from Steven Zaillian

Searching for Bobby FischerSearching for Bobby Fischer1993 · ★ 7.1 · 1h 50m

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Questions

How long is A Civil Action?
A Civil Action runs 115 minutes (1h 55m).
Is A Civil Action worth watching?
TMDB users give it 6.5/10 across 514 votes, which places it #78 of 123 films released in 1998 in this index (top 37%) and #2724 among 3759 drama titles.
Who directed A Civil Action?
A Civil Action was directed by Steven Zaillian. Other well-rated titles by the same director: Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993).
Who stars in A Civil Action?
John Travolta as Jan Schlichtmann; Robert Duvall as Jerome Facher; Tony Shalhoub as Kevin Conway; William H. Macy as James Gordon; Željko Ivanek as Bill Crowley; Bruce Norris as William Cheeseman.
What is A Civil Action rated?
It carries a pg-13 certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for A Civil Action?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/3648.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.