Jeff Daniels' Forgotten '90s Sci-Fi Movie Received A Scathing Review From Roger Ebert

Jeff Daniels is known for portraying Harry in "Dumb and Dumber" and Dr. Ross Jennings in "Arachnophobia," solidifying his career as a comedy actor. However, Daniels has spread his wings in other genres, appearing in "The Martian", with its accurate depiction of space, as NASA administrator Teddy Sanders and playing former president Ronald Reagan in the 2026 political drama "The Brink of War." For those interested in seeing the actor in science fiction roles, he was a lawyer in the forgotten 1993 film "Rain Without Thunder." The project surrounds a future in 2042 in which abortion rights are continually challenged, following the trial of a college student who went to Europe to receive one. 

While the movie felt topical at the time of release, just a year after the Supreme Court upheld the right to abortion access with Planned Parenthood v. Casey, critics felt otherwise, giving the film a score of 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. Roger Ebert gave "Rain Without Thunder" nothing but criticism in his review, writing that it was like "watching a bad newscast in slow-motion." He felt Daniels' work wasn't what the critic had come to expect from the actor, calling his performance "so lifeless one wonders if the director feared the energy of vernacular speech." 

While critics didn't enjoy it, audiences responded more favorably, with "Rain Without Thunder" sitting at 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. One reviewer writes that they "found it disturbingly accurate and chilling" and "could not stop watching." This sentiment is echoed in Letterboxd reviews, with Amanda Mazzillo calling it "harder to watch than most horror films, because it hits you so close." Roger Ebert is known for harsh words on films he dislikes, but audiences found the narrative framing and acting to be strong points of "Rain Without Thunder". 

Another Letterboxd review argues that, while it is a more documentary style film, the variety of interviews conducted "expands the story." In the same review, Jeff Daniels' work is described as one of the film's "standout performances." "Rain Without Thunder" still resonates with audiences today, with some likening it to current discussions on the topic. A 2023 Letterboxd review describes the movie as a "scary truth telling future predicting masterpiece," while Dan O'Neill says it "feels too real for our time" in a 2024 review. Though seemingly forgotten, "Rain Without Thunder" continues to make an impact for those who find it.