 | |
List Price: $24.99 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 40938
Released: May 23, 2000 |
| Our Price: $4.42 |
| Used Price: $1.93 |
|
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
This first film adaptation of a John Grisham novel is a crackerjack popcorn movie that satisfies even though it radically changes the last half of the book. The novel's dynamic setup is intact: Mitch McDeere, a hot law graduate (a well-suited Tom Cruise), finds a dream job in a luxurious Memphis law firm. His superiors (Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook) provide Mitch and his young wife, Abby (Jeanne Tripplehorn), with a house and plenty of money in exchange for lots of work, and maybe something more. Soon FBI agents (including a bald Ed Harris) encircle Mitch, telling him his firm has a sinister secret, forcing Mitch into a heck of a pickle. How Mitch deals with his situation is where the book and movie differ, yet by the time Mitch is running from bad guys with suitcase in hand, the movie delivers Grisham's goods. For Sydney Pollack's film, Mitch is more confrontational and heroic. Plot aside, the care Pollack put into this fair-weather thriller is unimpeachable, as is his cast. There's hardly a better all-star cast in any '90s thriller, from Hackman and Harris in key roles to actors in smaller parts, sometimes with only a scene or two. Standouts include David Strathairn as Mitch's wayward brother, Wilford Brimley as the head of security, film producer Jerry Weintraub as an angry client, Gary Busey as a private investigator, and Holly Hunter in a delicious, Oscar-nominated supporting role as Busey's most loyal of secretaries. The cast seems to have had as much fun making the film as we do watching it. It's slick Hollywood product, but first-rate all the way. --Doug Thomas
The Firm Reviews:
Turkey Alert! Turkey Alert! 
2009-12-09 - This movie takes place in Memphis, Tennessee. As such, there are lots of shots of Memphis, Tennessee -- especially downtown Memphis, Tennessee. ... If you're queer for lots of shots of Memphis, Tennesseee, you'll love this movie.
In this movie Tom Cruise runs fast -- especially at the end of the movie -- that's when he runs *really* fast. ... If you're queer for movies where Tom Cruise run *really* fast, you'll love this movie.
The plot to this movie is boring, tedious and utterly incomprehensible. If you're queer for movies that have plots that are boring, tedious, and incomprehensible, you'll love this movie.
There are any number of actors in this movie who are otherwise excellent actors. Sidney Pollack is a semi-excellent director. But, alas, all their talents are sadly wasted. But let's keep in mind that a lot of you out there in Cyberland are, yourselves, sadly wasted. All messed up. FUBARed and far from home. (As may be the horse you rode in on.) So, who knows, you may go for this flicker.
But that notwithstanding, your best bet, Pilgrim, is to avoid this turkey.
By the way, this movie is two-and-a-half hours long. So let's say you're not "sadly wasted," and let's say you're not FUBARed and far from home, but you *are* a masochist -- now you're in business, baby! Sit through two-and-a-half hours of this crap and you'll be in heaven.
In fact, if you were to look up the word "nauseous" in the dictionary, there'd be a picture of a guy throwing up his popcorn having just watched this movie.
In short, don't buy, rent or otherwise view this movie. If you do existential dread will follow you all the days of your life.
Babies as yet unborn should be warned as regards this movie. So if you see a pregnant gal, tell her and her baby on board: "Don't see 'The Firm.'" Never mind that the as yet unborn baby doesn't know what the hell you're talking about, as may the with-child mama, for God sakes, just warn them.
Warn, too, people just rescued from deserted South Sea islands who may *beg* you to see a movie, not having seen one in decades. Bodily restrain them from watching this movie. Lay 'em out if you have to.
Needless to say, whisper nothing about this movie to the relatives of the director, the producers, the actors and the staff of this movie. Tell them their children did a simply *marvelous* job -- but that, unfortunately, all the prints of the movie were stolen by a roving horde of gypsy ne-er do wells. Tell them that Henny Youngman's last words were: "Take this movie -- please!"
Thank you and God speed, Colonel Glenn.
"Two Thumbs Up, Way Up!" 
2009-08-15 - "The Firm" is so good I would give it 10 stars if I could. Tom Cruise plays a young attorney who just graduated law school who accepts a job with a law firm, who, unknown to him, is defending the mob. Once he is in the firm and working to make himself a name as a well respected lawyer, he discovers the goings-on in this particular law office and how the other big-time lawyers are employed with organized crime headed by a powerful Italian family in Chicago. Tom's character, is at a crossroads: does he continue working for the crooked firm that is making him millions and affording him and his wife a beautiful home, or does he assists the FBI in closing the firm down?
Tom Cruise was on a winning streak during this time in Hollywood history as nearly every film he made in the early nineties became blockbusters. "The Firm" would gross 270 million dollars at the worldwide boxoffice and catapult Cruise to the top of motion picture's A List.
The supporting cast of the movie was also equally impressive with such actors as Ed Harris, Gene Hackman, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Holly Hunter, who would win an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actress.
This DVD contains two theatrical trailers, is in widescreen format enhanced for 16x9 televisions, and there are english subtitles included. Sound is dolby digital.
"The Firm" was based on the John Grisham novel and directed by famed Hollywood director Sydney Pollack who directed the beautiful "Out of Africa".
no problem with product but movie sucked! 
2009-03-27 - uh i hate this movie it was sooo boring i had to watch it for my business ethics class and then write an essay on it! but amazon sent it in a timly manner and it was in perfect condition
Always Fun To Watch Bad Things Happen to Lawyers
2009-02-27 - Lawyers and Tom Cruise. I tend to like neither. But in this Sydney Pollack-directed adaptation of John Grisham's bestseller, Cruise is actually tolerable as a hotshot Harvard Law grad just hired by a Memphis law firm with more skeletons in its closet than grains of sand on Malibu Beach. Cruise's character is arrogant, brash, and smug--as we would expect most young attorneys to be--but as his life unravels, as he learns more and more about the machinations of his employer, he's just darn fun to watch as he tries to distance himself from THE FIRM.
One of the reasons Cruise is tolerable is because his surrounding cast is so outstanding. Gene Hackman, who plays Cruise's mentor, is as good as it gets; so is Ed Harris as a feisty FBI agent. Jeanne Tripplehorn is okay as the young, homesick, unhappy wife, yet as the story races to its conclusion she does some really out-of-character stuff. Hal Holbrook is solid (as always), while Wilford Brimley steals the show as the firm's tenacious "head of security." There are thrills and plenty of suspense, with an ending so out of breath and over the top you'll need oxygen, but overall THE FIRM is satisfying. Watching lawyers run for their lives always is.
--D. Mikels, Author, The Reckoning
A Complex Suspense-Drama
2009-02-12 - This is a long (154 minutes) but pretty solid drama-suspense story about corporate corruption. The film features a well-known cast, and as soon as the action kicks in this becomes a very tense story.
Tom Cruise is very good as the hotshot lawyer, as is Jeanne Tripplehorn who plays his unhappy wife. This is a complex story at times, one not always easily understood, especially the ending. So much is explained so fast at the end it's tough to comprehend it all.
It's okay because sometimes that makes me want to watch a good movie several times, hoping I'll finally figure everything out! That's what happened here.
Wilfred Brimley, Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook, Holly Hunter, Robert Strathairn and Ed Harris all make this a really deep, impressive cast.
