Dark Waters

There are so many movies that I want to see right now (luckily winter break is coming soon) but I was able to cross one of them off my list by seeing Dark Waters last night.  This movie, based on a true story, is extremely unsettling.  Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo) has just been made partner in a prestigious law firm known for defending powerful corporations, including DuPont, when a farmer from a small town in West Virginia named Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp) comes to his office wanting to file a lawsuit against DuPont.  Since his grandmother recommended him to Tennant, Bilott decides to visit his farm and investigate.  Tennant claims that all of his cows have died mysteriously because they drank from a river that is being polluted by DuPont.  After conducting exhaustive research he discovers that DuPont knowingly dumped PFOA, a man-made chemical used in Teflon that can't be processed by the body, into the water supply and he convinces Tom Terp (Tim Robbins), the managing partner of his firm, to file a claim against DuPont.  Thus begins a 20 year legal battle in which DuPont and its CEO Phil Donnelly (Victor Garber) use their considerable resources against the lone crusader Bilott who, despite damage to his reputation, his marriage, and even his health, refuses to give up until justice is served.  It is a scathing indictment against corporate greed and it will probably make you angry and then make you nervous.  The story kept me riveted as Bilott uncovers the truth piece by piece, although there are some pacing issues, and I was particularly invested in the scenes involving the people involved in the class-action suit.  Ruffalo gives an incredibly passionate performance and Robbins has a moment that made me want to stand up and cheer.  The rest of the cast is also solid, although Anne Hathaway, as Bilott's wife Sarah, isn't asked to do much beyond lamenting the fact that her husband is never around.  This is an incredibly powerful story about what happens when corporations go unchecked that should probably be seen by everyone and I highly recommend it (and I recommend that you get rid of all of your Teflon pans).