Dark Waters

Here's my rephrased version:

In 1998, Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo), a corporate defense attorney based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is jolted out of his routine when Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp), an old acquaintance of his grandmother's from Parkersburg, West Virginia, pays him a visit. Wilbur arrives at the office with boxes of videotapes and a sense of urgency, seeking Robert's help to unravel a mystery that has left him reeling. The farmer shows Robert footage he's shot and exhibits of cow parts that are nothing short of bizarre, detailing the deaths of all 190 of his cattle, which have been afflicted by an inexplicable and disturbing disease.

As Robert drives back to Parkersburg to visit his grandmother, he can't shake off Wilbur's concerns about DuPont, the massive corporation with a local plant that seems to be the epicenter of the problem. Wilbur reveals that his brother had worked for DuPont, disposing of waste at the very same site where his cows have fallen ill. This sparks Robert's curiosity, and he decides to take on the case, assuring his boss, Tom Terp (Tim Robbins), that it will be a small side project that won't disrupt his busy schedule.

At an industry function for attorneys, Robert approaches DuPont's in-house counsel, Phil Donnelly (Victor Garber), hoping to get some insight into the company's activities. However, Phil is evasive and polite, assuring Robert that he'll do everything he can to help without providing any concrete information. Undeterred, Robert files a small lawsuit, using legal discovery to gain access to DuPont's documentation on the chemicals it has released onto the site.

As Robert delves deeper into the case, he realizes that the real challenge lies not in finding something incriminating but in uncovering the truth about a substance that may not even be regulated by the EPA. His persistence pays off when he finally forces DuPont to hand over its documents, sending him hundreds of boxes of files in the hopes that he'll never find anything useful. With his detective skills on high gear, Robert begins to sift through the papers one by one, determined to unravel the mystery and bring justice to Wilbur's suffering cattle.

As the darkness of night envelops their humble abode, Sarah (Anne Hathaway), Robert's expectant wife, stumbles upon her husband in a state of frantic disarray. The carpet lies shredded, and pots are scattered about as Robert frantically searches for evidence to substantiate his dire warnings. Initially dismissed as mad by Sarah, he presents her with chilling findings from the DuPont documents: PFOA-C8, also known as Teflon, is a man-made chemical created for military purposes but ultimately unleashed upon unsuspecting Americans in their very own homes. The company had conducted secret tests on animals and its own employees, revealing that this toxic substance caused cancer in both species and birth defects in the offspring of women working at the plant – all while maintaining an eerie silence.

Meanwhile, Wilbur, a local farmer and resident, has become a pariah among his community for daring to challenge DuPont's dominance. His home is burglarized, and he falls gravely ill as a result. Robert visits Wilbur, bearing the weight of evidence against DuPont and implores him to accept their settlement offer. However, Wilbur refuses to be silenced, choosing instead to stand up for justice and his own health. He shares with Robert that both he and his wife have succumbed to the devastating effects of cancer, leaving Robert wracked with guilt.

In a bold move, Robert secures Wilbur's settlement while simultaneously compiling a comprehensive brief highlighting DuPont's wrongdoing. This damning dossier is then dispatched to the EPA, Department of Justice, and other relevant authorities. The consequences are swift: DuPont is slapped with a hefty fine of 16.5 million dollars.

As Parkersburg residents receive letters assuring them that PFOA levels in their water supply are safe, Darlene Kiger (Mare Winningham) and her husband are left wondering if this toxic cocktail is indeed harmless. Her memories of her first husband's mysterious illness at the plant, dubbed the "Teflon flu," resurface, as does her own traumatic experience with a hysterectomy before the age of 40. Moved by empathy, Robert decides to spearhead a class-action lawsuit against DuPont, driven by a desire not only for recompense but also for medical management and care for those affected.

When faced with skepticism from his law firm's partners, who fear tarnishing their reputation by taking on a typically defended entity like DuPont, Tom delivers an impassioned argument: that fighting for what is right – in this case, justice and the well-being of Parkersburg residents – supersedes any fleeting concerns about professional reputation.

As Robert's determination to bring justice to the people of West Virginia reaches its boiling point, he and local attorney Harry Dietzler (Bill Pullman) take the case against DuPont to court. The stakes are high, as they argue that the chemical giant is liable for the contamination of the water supply with PFOA, which has been linked to a range of serious health problems. In a shocking twist, DuPont presents a new study claiming that 150 parts per billion is safe - a far cry from their previous assertions that any level above one part per billion was unacceptable. The news sparks outrage among the locals, who take to the streets to protest DuPont's actions and demand accountability. As national attention focuses on the story, DuPont agrees to settle for $70 million, but only if they can prove that PFOA causes the ailments in question.

The agreement requires an independent scientific review to study the effects of PFOA, with a crucial caveat: DuPont will only be required to provide medical monitoring and compensation if the scientists find conclusive evidence linking the chemical to the health problems. In a bold move, DuPont offers locals a chance to donate blood in exchange for their share of the settlement - a proposal that yields an astonishing 70,000 participants.

Years pass, with no concrete findings emerging from the study. The Kiger family faces harassment and intimidation, while Robert's personal life begins to fray at the edges. He works tirelessly on the case, pouring his heart and soul into it, but the lack of progress takes a devastating toll. His financial struggles deepen as he's forced to take repeated pay cuts, leaving him feeling like a failure in the eyes of his colleagues and loved ones.

As Robert's health begins to deteriorate, he suffers an ischemia, or minor stroke, which forces him to re-evaluate his priorities and seek medical attention. Sarah steps in to defend her husband, reminding Tom that Robert has dedicated himself to helping those who needed it most - a reminder that his efforts, though painful and protracted, were ultimately worthwhile.

As the years ticked by since the initial scientific review panel had delivered its verdict, a sense of vindication was finally within grasp for Robert. The revelation that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was linked to a multitude of cancers and other diseases served as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of DuPont's actions. But little did Rob expect, this newfound understanding would be swiftly followed by a stunning betrayal from the very company he had trusted. During a family dinner, Rob was confronted with the shocking news that DuPont was reneging on its entire agreement, leaving him feeling betrayed and seething with anger. The memory of Wilbur's words, "there wasn't any justice," now resonated deeply within him. With his resolve hardened, Rob set out to take each defendant's case to court, one by one, determined to hold DuPont accountable for their actions. The outcome would be a resounding victory, with Rob securing multi-million dollar settlements in the first three cases, ultimately paving the way for a historic class action settlement of 671 million dollars. Yet, despite this hard-won triumph, the legacy of PFOA's insidious presence remained, still coursing through the veins of nearly all life on earth, a constant reminder of the urgent need for stricter regulations and greater accountability in the face of an unregulated chemical landscape that continued to pose a threat to the well-being of countless individuals.