Some John Grisham adaptations descend a little too quickly into legal tedium but The Firm manages to avoid going down that path for the majority of its running time. Despite being a shade too long for its own good, the late Sydney Pollack keeps the wheels of narrative churning at a sprightly pace as Tom Cruise's earnest young lawyer descends greater into a dangerous mire, and while not every component comes together this makes for a solid legal thriller with an impressive cast of players.

Before his reinvention as a modern day action hero, a younger Cruise is on good form in this one - reigning in his mugging and smarmy grin to keep his feet on the ground, doubtless…

Gene Hackman gives Tom Cruise an acting lesson in Sydney Pollack's legal thriller in which our Tom does his usual running around,this time in a suit.
As Cruise vehicles go,this wasn't bad. No signs of Scientology,no wives or ex-wives only an intelligent story of the real criminals in American society-LAWYERS.Seriously though this has two of my favourite actors each in minor roles. David Strathairn can say more with a look or a gesture than some actors can with a thousand words. Usually an unsung gem he again makes a lasting impression with just a few lines of dialogue.Holly Hunter however won an Oscar for saying nothing,but in this she brings her full repertoire of emotions to bare in a take…

The Firm is a very watchable, sometimes exciting Grisham adaptation that lacks credibility, and is beset by a certain vagueness, but gets by on the strength of its cast. An ambitious young Harvard law graduate (Tom Cruise) signs up with a high-powered, secretive Memphis firm, only to find that they're really corrupt, and he's never allowed to leave.

Cruise and Jeanne Tripplehorn do their starry bit, but the real draw is a ridiculously good supporting cast, with a realistic turn from David Strathairn as Cruise's jailbird brother, an eye-catching performance from a red-permed Holly Hunter (the same year as The Piano), who seems to have wandered in from a '40s dime novel, and an overpoweringly sleazy one from Gene Hackman,…

John Grisham’s “The Client” had a better shot at mainstream success, but was badly acted and directed; “The Firm” just feels like an overcooked attempt to make us care about people we really shouldn’t. Cruise’s discovery of corruption and murder is followed by the implication that his plucky lawyer possesses some sort of elitist brand of ethics – he goes to such lengths to find a legal solution to his problem – which is unjustifiable given the rest of his behaviour (Don’t get me started on his fiscally-dependent relationship with Jeanne Tripplehorn). While I’m reliably informed that Grisham’s novel makes for a bracing read, “The Firm” makes it clear that his specified prose does not lend itself well to broad…

Gene Hackman gives Tom Cruise an acting lesson in Sydney Pollack's legal thriller in which our Tom does his usual running around,this time in a suit.
As Cruise vehicles go,this wasn't bad. No signs of Scientology,no wives or ex-wives only an intelligent story of the real criminals in American society-LAWYERS.Seriously though this has two of my favourite actors each in minor roles. David Strathairn can say more with a look or a gesture than some actors can with a thousand words. Usually an unsung gem he again makes a lasting impression with just a few lines of dialogue.Holly Hunter however won an Oscar for saying nothing,but in this she brings her full repertoire of emotions to bare in a take…

Honestly, I watched The Firm because I was in the mood for a courtroom thriller. I've seen some other John Grisim adaptations (The Client, The Rainmaker) that were decent and fit that bill pretty will. However, turns out The Firm is more akin to a Tom Clancy conspiracy thriller, and does not even feature a courtroom. So, you know, that's my bad.
Even so, the flick was quite entertaining and kept my interest throughout its ridiculously overlong 156 minute run-time. It is comprised almost entirely of cliches and convenient coincidences, but the top notch cast (Cruise, Hackman, Tripplehorn, Hunter, Busey, Straithern, Holbrook, Brimley) all put in great performances. Especially fun are Busey and Hunter. The jazzy score is strange and…

The Firm is a very watchable, sometimes exciting Grisham adaptation that lacks credibility, and is beset by a certain vagueness, but gets by on the strength of its cast. An ambitious young Harvard law graduate (Tom Cruise) signs up with a high-powered, secretive Memphis firm, only to find that they're really corrupt, and he's never allowed to leave.

Cruise and Jeanne Tripplehorn do their starry bit, but the real draw is a ridiculously good supporting cast, with a realistic turn from David Strathairn as Cruise's jailbird brother, an eye-catching performance from a red-permed Holly Hunter (the same year as The Piano), who seems to have wandered in from a '40s dime novel, and an overpoweringly sleazy one from Gene Hackman,…