How many times have you gone to the movies and felt like you actually knew the actors? Sure, we all have our favorite actors and governators, and seeing someone famous on the streets or in the bowling alley always elicits this weird feeling of semi-knowing. When Jen and I ran into Nick Cage in a magic shop here in San Francisco a couple years back, I felt like I knew him. We said hi to each other, but of course he had no clue who I was. When we bowled in the lane next to Winona Ryder last year, we all felt like we knew her and wanted to chat, but she just wanted to be left alone and enjoy her night out on the town and away from the publicity of her shoplifting trial.
Oh yes, trials.
Runaway Jury is a movie about the trial following a workplace shooting. Set in New Orleans, the issue at hand is whether the manufacturer of the gun that was used in the shooting should be held liable for the deaths of the 11 people killed. And, as the title implies, the jury for said trial is a bit out of control, which is what makes the film so interesting and enjoyable. The film is filled with surprise twists and turns and it’s not always clear what is happening (in a good way) or what the motive of each side may be. It’s also pretty darn funny. I really enjoyed the movie.
Gene Hackman plays the role of a big-name jury manipulator who’s on the bankroll of the gun industry. Behind the scenes of the trial, Hackman’s character is intense, ruthless, and demanding. And every raging bad guy needs an assistant to keep him focused. His character’s assistant in the movie is played by the poised and charming Marguerite Moreau. Who’s that, you ask? She got her start on the Wonder Years in 1991 and was in all three Mighty Ducks movies. More recently, she’s been in Firestarter 2 and Queen of the Damned. And, oh yes, she was also a classmate of mine and Jen’s at Vassar.
We didn’t actually know her at Vassar, but we always saw her around. We knew of her Mighty Ducks fame and thought that was pretty cool. I’m glad to see she’s continuing in her film career. She did an excellent job acting in Runaway Jury. It must’ve been pretty cool for her to make a film with stars like Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and John Cusack.
Of course, the only strange part about seeing a movie that features someone you actually do sort of know (or at least went to school with) is that it makes the suspension of disbelief a bit more challenging.
Kudos to you, Marguerite, and keep up the great work.
