Rating: 
Summary: Well made, but a bit too long.
Review: Some people seem to think 'the Firm ' a bad movie. I do not agree. In fact, if I have to choose, I think this is one of the best movies made after Grisham's novels. The plot has been modelled loosely on the book, and is in fact an improvement, especially the end. The one objection I have is to the length. One hundred and fifty minutes is really too long for a thriller such as this. No matter how good the story, you can hardly help that your attention starts slipping halfway. Even so, the last thirty minutes are suspenseful enough, that it makes for a real climax. The story is in itself well balanced, but the scenes have been drawn out too far. A pity, but not more than that. Good acting, especially by Gene Hackman as the corrupt lawyer and Holly Hunter as Tom Cruise's helper save the movie from becoming a bore. On the whole, a good, but not spectacular thriller.
Rating: 
Summary: THE FIRM
Review: Sydney Pollack directs Tom Cruise in this fast paced legal thriller based on John Grisham's best selling - selling novel. Lured by extraordinary financial perks, Mitch McDeere, a young and hungry Harvard Law student, turns down offers at the top law firms to take a position at a small but wealthy Memphis firm. Mitch, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks fueled by ambition and greed, ignores his wife Abby's initial misgivings about the suspiciously paternalistic practices of his new employers. It's only when two of his fellow lawyers die in a mysterious accident that Mitch begins to share her apprehensions. He then launches an investigation into the true nature of the firm and discovers that it is a front for a complex and sinister web of organized crime, one from which no lawyer has managed to escape alive. Solid storytelling and fine preformances bring this seemingly improbable situation straight into reality.
Rating: 
Summary: Betrayal of the Book
Review: The acting was good, and the movie was fine as a whole; however, the book made a point. The movie simply bashed lawyers. That's not tough sport.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment
Review: The book was definitely a lot better than the movie. The divergence of the plot's conclusion from that in the book was definitely a downer.
Rating: 
Summary: read the book
Review: The book was just so much better that it was hard to get into the movie. I don't think Tom Cruise was best suited for the role. He lacked a maturity even for a young lawyer and his performance was uneven. But the movie looks good and it is entertaining, but if you've read the book you'll find yourself drawing unfavorable comparisons.
Rating:
Summary: Could have been better
Review: The book, as always, was much better and more interesting. The worst part of this movie was the irritating piano music that underscores most or just about all of the scenes, very distracting. Did anyone else notice this?
Rating:
Summary: A great adventure-thrilling drama!
Review: The Firm is a great adventure-thrilling drama of courtroom intrigue taken out of the court and into the life of new lawyer.
Rating:
Summary: T.C.'s films, some of them are 2 Mechanical. Firm is slow.
Review: The Firm stars Tom Cruise (The Last Samurai, Minority Report) as a young and clean cut lawyer who is hired by a big law firm. There is has a guide and aid, Gene Hackman (Welcome To Mooseport, The Replacements) who takes Cruise under his wing. Cruise and his wife Jeanne Tripplehorn seem like they hit the jackpot but soon things happen when a death happens involving people from the firm and Cruise is suddenly visited by the FBI, one being Ed Harris (The Human Stain, Pollack). Soon Cruise gets deeper and deeper into the hidden secrets and lies the firm holds within and soon finds himself caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one being that the firm is connected to the mob. Cruise is then dealt with blackmail and all those things that happen when someone gets involved or tries to understand something that their not supposed to. Cruise then turns the tables and tries to win his life back. A solid adaptation of John Grisham's novel offers some good performances: Cruise, Hackman, Tripplehorn and Harris to name a few and it also has paranoia mystery threw it all as well that makes it fun to watch all threw though the length of the movie 154 minutes makes it drag on a while. Also starring Holly Hunter (Thirteen, Crash), Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon, Im With Busey), Hal Holbrook (Creepshow, Our Town), Wilford Brimley (Tv's Walker Texas Ranger), David Strathairn (Matewan, The River Wild), Paul Colderon (21 Grams) and Tobin Bell. Paul Sorvino (Money Talks, See Spot Run) and Joe Viterelli (Analyze This and Analyze That) appear in unbilled cameos at the end. Directed By Sydney Pollack (Changing Lanes, Tootsie, Eyes Wide Shut)
Rating:
Summary: Con-Firm Your Plans
Review: The Firm, was the first John Grisham novel, adapted for the big screen. While I must confess, I never have read the book, I think the film is a solid "bubble gum" pot boiler that works very well.Mitch McDeere, (Tom Cruise) is a young and hungry Harvard Law student, who turns down offers at the top law firms to take a position at a small but wealthy Memphis firm. Mitch grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. He is so taken with his mentor Avery Tolar, (Gene Hackman) his own ambition, and greed, he ignores his wife Abby's (Jeanne Tripplehorn) initial misgivings about the suspicious practices of his new employers. It's only when two of his fellow lawyers die in a mysterious accident that Mitch begins to share her apprehensions. He then launches an investigation into the true nature of the firm and discovers that it is a front for a complex and sinister web of organized crime, that goes to very top of the firm and even includes head Oliver Lambert (Hal Holbrook). Directed by Sydney Pollack, the film benefits moreso from its all star cast, than it may have otherwise. Cruise proves that he can hold his own with Hackman for sure. Despite the fact that Cruise and Tripplehorn seem sparkless as a married couple, she too, is great in her scenes with Hackman. Pollack knows what works and keeps things at a brisk pace. His skills are evident as he juggles many different subplots that come together in the end nicely. One final comment on the film: Composer Dave Crusin's atypical music score adds just the right touch in setting the scene and giving the movie some flavor. I don't know what it is about most of the John Grisham legal thrillers, but like most of them, the DVD of The Firm lacks any substantial extras. All you get here are two theatrical trailers--nothing more. A commentary track or a few deleted scenes would have put this product over the top. The Firm doesn't have as much of a soapbox element as other Grisham stories do..that's ok. It's all for fun. No extras aside--Recommended
Rating:
Summary: Con-Firm Your Plans
Review: The Firm, was the first John Grisham novel, adapted for the big screen. While I must confess, I never have read the book, I think the film is a solid "bubble gum" pot boiler that works very well. Mitch McDeere, (Tom Cruise) is a young and hungry Harvard Law student, who turns down offers at the top law firms to take a position at a small but wealthy Memphis firm. Mitch grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. He is so taken with his mentor Avery Tolar, (Gene Hackman) his own ambition, and greed, he ignores his wife Abby's (Jeanne Tripplehorn) initial misgivings about the suspicious practices of his new employers. It's only when two of his fellow lawyers die in a mysterious accident that Mitch begins to share her apprehensions. He then launches an investigation into the true nature of the firm and discovers that it is a front for a complex and sinister web of organized crime, that goes to very top of the firm and even includes head Oliver Lambert (Hal Holbrook). Directed by Sydney Pollack, the film benefits moreso from its all star cast, than it may have otherwise. Cruise proves that he can hold his own with Hackman for sure. Despite the fact that Cruise and Tripplehorn seem sparkless as a married couple, she too, is great in her scenes with Hackman. Pollack knows what works and keeps things at a brisk pace. His skills are evident as he juggles many different subplots that come together in the end nicely. One final comment on the film: Composer Dave Crusin's atypical music score adds just the right touch in setting the scene and giving the movie some flavor. I don't know what it is about most of the John Grisham legal thrillers, but like most of them, the DVD of The Firm lacks any substantial extras. All you get here are two theatrical trailers--nothing more. A commentary track or a few deleted scenes would have put this product over the top. The Firm doesn't have as much of a soapbox element as other Grisham stories do..that's ok. It's all for fun. No extras aside--Recommended
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