John Grisham is one of the most prolific and popular authors of our time, his books to date have sold over 300 million copies, and he cranks out a new one every year or so. Most of his fans appreciate his exciting and sometimes mysterious plots and his adherence to detail. Some of us appreciate the fact that profanity and sex do not rear their ugly heads in his stories.
Many of his best sellers have been made into movies. They are always true to the book, almost page for page and line for line. They make for great viewing, fan of Grisham’s or not. Here are a few of the ones worth your while if you missed them first time around:
The Rainmaker: 1997, PG-13
This is probably my favorite Grisham book and movie. Matt Damon stars as Rudy Baylor, a young attorney fresh out of college. His first case puts him in a “David and Goliath” situation, facing a powerful insurance company in a wrongful death lawsuit. The story is full of twists and turns, plenty of surprises and great acting by a terrific ensemble. The ending will most likely catch you off guard, which makes the story even more enticing.
A Time to Kill: 1996, R
This was Grisham’s first novel and he received thirty rejection slips before someone took a chance. It not only became a number one best seller, but a hit movie as well. Matthew McConaughey stars as Jake Brigance, a small town lawyer in southern Georgia. He takes a case defending an Africa-American man accused of the revenge killing of two white men. The whole world closes in on Jake as the case is tried. This is also full of surprises and the closing arguments scene made for one of the best movie moments of the decade.
The Pelican Brief: 1993 PG-13
The assassination of two supreme court justices turns the world “upside down” in an effort to discover who did it and why. College student Darby Shaw, played by Julia Roberts, innocently writes a thesis on her thoughts, and incredibly hits the nail on the head. Word gets out and this turns into a thriller as the perpetrators try to chase her down. Denzel Washington also stars as a newspaper reporter who joins the fray in an effort to help her.
A Painted House: 2003 NR (made for TV)
In a major departure from his typical novels, Grisham takes to us to the heart of Arkansas, the story centering on a family and their cotton farm. There is some adventure and unexpected turns, but the story is mostly a fascinating look at a lifestyle most of us have never considered important. After seeing this you will develop a whole new respect for the small time farmer, their trials and tribulations.
There are a number of others worth your time including The Client, The Runaway Jury, and The Firm, his first big seller which set the stage for his future writings.
