How the fuck did this movie become one of the highest-grossing releases of 1993? And why the fuck would I recommend it to you, some thirty years later? Well, it’s time to get into those questions. The Firm is a blandly average thriller about a talented law student who ends up working for a dangerous law firm. It’s based on John Grisham’s novel of the same name and that’s one of the explanations behind its unjust success. Secondly, the crew, director Sidney Pollack assembled, is quite impressive. In the lead role, we have one of the most popular actors of the last 40 years, Tom Cruise.
The supporting cast was just as good featuring such legends as Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, and Holly Hunter. Jeanne Tripplehorn plays Tom’s wife Abby with grace and style. Too bad Gary Busey didn’t get a bigger role because his unhinged performance was a breath of fresh air in this, otherwise, quite predictable movie. The rest of the characters were quite stereotypical. At this point, you might be wondering why you should watch this movie. Well, The Firm is mildly entertaining and, from this time perspective, a thought-provokingly nostalgic movie.
While its protagonist is a lawyer working for a big law firm, there won’t be almost any courtroom drama. There will be some interesting legal maneuvers which I’m sure some of you will appreciate. After all, John Grisham was a lawyer for more than ten years before he started writing bestsellers. It sounds almost surreal that he has written 37 consecutive number-one fiction bestsellers. And The Firm is his first one, quickly followed by A Time to Kill. You might remember its 1996 adaptation by Joel Schumacher starring Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, and Matthew McConaughey.
Moving on, there’s something else you should know about this movie. The Firm is a movie featuring a whopping 2-and-a-half-hour running time. It’s perfect for those hangover Sundays or days when you want to watch something casual and mainstream. The first half slowly builds up the characters and the plot so you won’t miss anything if you tune out for a couple of minutes. The finale, however, is quite compacted and a bit convoluted with a couple of twists. Moreover, it’s completely different from the one in the original novel.
Most of the story takes place in Memphis, Tennessee. We’ll also spend a fair amount of time in the exotic sands of the Cayman Islands. In that sense, the movie reminds me of the intriguing eighties thriller Black Widow. Speaking of similar movies, if you want to see something that packs a bigger punch than The Firm, I highly recommend you check out The Devil’s Advocate. Starring Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, and Al Pacino, it’s one of my favorite movies. It also explores some of the same themes explored here.
Ultimately, I did enjoy The Firm despite its flaws and quite convoluted and, in certain sections, far-fetched plot. It’s got that nineties spirit and a lot of great actors doing what they know best. Holly Hunter even got an Oscar nomination for her performance here. I also want to remind you that another Grisham adaptation was released in 1993, The Pelican Brief. Rabbit out.
Director: Sydney Pollack
Writers: John Grisham, David Rabe, Robert Towne
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter, Terry Kinney
Fun Facts: It is true that you should not fly if you went diving recently. If the depths are small, it’s okay to fly after just 12 hours but if you had to make decompression pauses, you should wait at least 24 hours.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106918/
