The Firm (1993)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers (WGA):

John Grisham (book)
David Rabe (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 June 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

Power can be murder to resist.

Plot:

A young lawyer joins a prestigous law firm only to discover that it has a sinister dark side.

Plot Keywords:

Law | FBI | Lawyer | Mafia | Fraud

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 16

8:45 AM

AMC

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Mitch McDeere
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Abby McDeere
Gene Hackman	...	Avery Tolar
Hal Holbrook	...	Oliver Lambert
Terry Kinney	...	Lamar Quinn
Wilford Brimley	...	William Devasher
Ed Harris	...	Wayne Tarrance
Holly Hunter	...	Tammy Hemphill
David Strathairn	...	Ray McDeere
Gary Busey	...	Eddie Lomax
Steven Hill	...	F. Denton Voyles
Tobin Bell	...	The Nordic Man
Barbara Garrick	...	Kay Quinn
Jerry Hardin	...	Royce McKnight
Paul Calderon	...	Thomas Richie

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violence.

Runtime:

154 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

125 Front Street, Downtown, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Gene Hackman's name did not appear in promotional material for the film. Hackman's contract called for his name to come before the title in all promotional materials (trailers, posters, etc.); Tom Cruise's contract called for his name and his name only to come before the title in all promotional materials. Hackman opted to leave his name off all promotional materials altogether, leaving his presence a surprise to most audiences. In the film itself, Hackman's name comes after Cruise's and before the title.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Eddie Lomax's secretary was under the desk (giving the "pedicure") when Eddie was shot and never saw the killers because she was totally enclosed and hidden. Yet in the later scene with Mitch, she says she saw the killers and describes them, even the color of the albino's eyes!

Quotes:

Tommie Morolto: -if only I could get my hands on this kid.
Ruth: I think it's urgent, Mr. Morolto.
Tommie Morolto: Ruth thinks it's urgent, Joey. What do you think?
Ruth: It's a Mr. McDeere. Mr. Mitchell McDerre. He's waiting to see you.
Joey: I think Ruth is right.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Office: The Deposition (#4.8)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Firm Shuffle

Joining a law firm from hell can be detrimental to your health...

All the elements to make a hard-hitting melodrama of corruption (with FBI and Mafia aspects present) are unfolded here in a gripping yarn from John Grisham's novel. Tom Cruise is excellent as a young man who joins a small but prosperous law firm, only to discover that all the perks he enjoys come at great expense to his integrity, not to mention his life. The plot thickens when members of the firm are murdered and Cruise gets drawn into the unmasking of the firm, risking his life to reveal the criminals. Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter and Hal Holbrook all give strong performances, with Hunter fully deserving her Oscar nomination. The pacing is good despite the film's length (well over 2 1/2 hrs.) and there's seldom a dull moment. Especially gripping is the supercharged climax.

Not having read the book, I see where others are disappointed with the ending. Having no comparison to make, I can only say that it kept me absorbed until the final scene. Definitely a must-see if you enjoy action thrillers with a climactic punch. One of the best films of the '90s, full of suspenseful twists and turns.