A Civil Action: This 3-page paper is a summary and response to the movie A Civil Action in terms of control theory. The film A Civil Action is about an attorney, played by John Travolta, who takes on a challenging case of representing the families of twelve children who have died from toxic poisons polluted by companies Grace and Beatrice. Based on a true situation that happened in Massachusetts, Travolta's character Jan Schlichtmann loses his business-like rationality and becomes totally married to the case on moral grounds, ultimately bankrupting the company, as they mortgage their homes in order to finance the fight against what turns out to be giant corporations.
Travolta's opposition is played by Robert Duvall, and this character is shrewd, simply understanding that law is not about morals or even what is right. It is more about who can play the system to the best advantage, like cat and mouse or chess. His character is not exactly mean, although one could think so. Jerome Facher is more detached and rational about the field of law.
The film is reminiscent of Erin Brockovich or Pelican Brief, but it does not have a happy ending. There is no grand justice served to right the wrongs in A Civil Action. Schlichtmann becomes obsessed with trying to do the right thing for the families, somewhat losing his professional compass in the process. He forgets that for all practical purposes in personal injury cases, the lives of children are not worth a lot in dollars
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