| The Firm | 
 enlarge | Director: Sydney Pollack
Actors: Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook, Terry Kinney
Studio: Paramount Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.99
Buy New: $6.04
You Save: $6.95 (54%)
New (53) Used (25) Collectible (1) from $4.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  82 reviews
Sales Rank: 3118
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 154
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: PARD325234D
ISBN: 0792164962
UPC: 097363252344
EAN: 9780792164968
ASIN: 0792164962
Theatrical Release Date: June 30, 1993
Release Date: May 23, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: This item is BRAND NEW, factory fresh, and sealed. May have store or price stickers affixed.
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Product Description
A young lawyer joins a memphis firm where the people are friendly the money is fantastic and no one ever leaves alive. When mitch discovers the truth about the firm he begins a desperate race against time to survive. Special features: english subtitles for the deaf scene selection and much more. Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 05/17/2005 Starring: Tom Cruise Gary Busey Run time: 154 minutes Rating: R Director: Sydney Pollack
Amazon.com essential video
By far the best adaptation of a John Grisham bestseller, this smart, fast-paced 1993 film--directed by Sydney Pollack (Out of Africa)--offers up the dilemma of a young lawyer whose life is turned upside down when he takes a job at a Southern law firm owned by the mob. Mitch McDeere (Tom Cruise), having just graduated from Harvard Law, is besieged with offers but takes a job, too good to be true, with a small Memphis firm. He and his wife, Abby (Jeanne Tripplehorn), are sucked in by the seemingly close-knit, collegial nature of the firm's partners and the expensive perks that come with the job. His mentor, Avery (Gene Hackman), teaches him the ropes, but Mitch and Abby begin to sense there's something wrong with this idyllic life. When a couple of associates turn up dead, Mitch begins to investigate the history of the firm; and when the FBI asks him to spy on the firm for them, Mitch realizes his life will never be the same and that, if discovered, he, his wife, and his long-lost brother will be in mortal danger. Mitch must use all his talents as a lawyer to outsmart the firm, the FBI, and the mob in order to reclaim control over his life. A very entertaining thriller that engages the audience at a breakneck pace while not taking itself too seriously. It also features some fine writing and strong performances from a large cast of exceptional actors. --Robert Lane
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| Customer Reviews: Read 77 more reviews...
 It gets a little messy towards the end, but it's still nothing short of exciting... September 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Legal thrillers rarely satisfy me. It takes a really strong one to peak my interest, hold it and keep me remembering it long after it's through. I guess I just never warmed up to them the way that a lot of movie goers have. That, coupled with the Tom Cruise bug, has kept me away from `The Firm' for some time. I adore Holly Hunter, and her Oscar nomination did make me curious, but as a whole I just wasn't that interested in giving this film a try.
It came on television the other day though, and I had nothing better to do, so I bit.
That said, `The Firm' was actually pretty well done. It was intense when it needed to be, and it contained enough plot twists to keep me interested even after I figured everything out. I will say that some of the plot developments felt a little sticky, especially once Abby and Tammy go all sorts of espionage on the firm, but that aside, the film is quite good.
The film follows Mitch McDeere, a bright lawyer who is being wooed by a prestigious law firm that seems to watch to control everyone around them. Mitch's wife Abby is turned off by this, but Mitch's enthusiasm for the firm and his potential working there outweighs her concerns. Mitch is taken under the wing of Avery Tolar, shown the ropes and given all the perks, and then there is a murder, and then the FBI comes looking for Mitch, to turn him, and he gets an earful, and he starts to dig around and soon all the pieces start to fit together and Mitch realizes that this prestigious firm has some very unorthodox practices that could threaten his marriage, his profession and ultimately his life.
I have never felt Tom Cruise was as talented as he is made out to be. Yes, when he hits it he usually leaves a lasting impression (um, he was all kinds of stellar in `Eyes Wide Shut' and he was definitely Oscar worthy in `Jerry Maguire') but for the most part he is either outshone by the rest of the cast (as in `Rain Man') or simply not that impressive (I need to rewatch `Top Gun' but I do remember being less than impressed with Cruise). Here he is actually pretty good. He holds his own alongside Hackman (which is hard to do) and delivers a believable and relatable performance.
He's not best-in-show though.
`The Firm' is littered with actors doing their best to grab out attention. The most successful would have to be Holly Hunter who just breezes though her performance as if it were effortless for her. She is witty and charismatic and adorable to boot; and when she wants to lay on the drama she can and does so brilliantly. Gene Hackman is also on the top of his game; sly and cunning and very approachable which only adds layers to his characters mystery. Hal Holbrook is ruthless as Oliver Lambert and commands in his few scenes. David Strathairn is commanding if not a little out of place here (I really didn't like his characters arc, but whatever). Jeanne Tripplehorn gets better and better as the film progresses. I think that Ed Harris is a pretty good actor, but he seems wasted here in my opinion.
In the end I must say that `The Firm' is a far better film than I expected it to be. No, it is not a favorite of mine (based on genre alone really) but it manages to be memorable and exciting and I will watch it again, I'm sure of that. I wish that they had cleaned up the ending a tad, for as the plot keeps twisting the film gets a little messy, but that messiness makes for an entertaining roller coaster that serves it purpose.
 Excellent, engrossing, substantial complexity -- May 15, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
and one of Gene Hackman's greatest performances. The man is so real, and the character so believable, you'd think Hackman were the character. Except he isn't, because the character is a hackman, while Hackman is an extraordinary actor.
Probably Cruise's best performance, better than in "Color of Money". Garey Busey does a perfect turn, and Holly Hunter get's to vamp.
The only film in which I've seen Triplehorn -- a beauty, and is the equal of Cruise in this (in performance; I don't think of Crusie as a beauty).
You'll like it. Cruise actually performs instead of posing for the camera.
 This is not John Grisham's "The Firm"... April 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
...because The Firm was actually good. One of my favorite books. As for this? It might not be as bad if you've never read the book, but if you have you will most likely not like it. Think about any plot point from the book and chances are it's been changed either a little or a lot in the movie version. The basic events are the same, but some things are changed so much it's rediculous. I would go into more detail, but I'm trying to stay away from spoilers.
Conciseley: characters given a lot of time in the book get hardly any in the movie. And some in the movie are featured a lot more prominantly than in the book. Long scenes and memorable parts of the book are gone and boring ones that seem out of place of sketchy appear in the movie. I don't remember Terrance being bald. And the ending was absolutely different.
I'll surely never watch this movie again. Don't buy it--get the book. If you don't like reading, skip over this entirely. It's just not worth your time, stale acting and poor characterization aside.
THE FIRM February 18, 2008
Totally engrossing. One of my favorite movies of all time. I have owned the VHS for years but had to have it on DVD since I have viewed it numerous times. Always exciting. Never a dull moment. Great acting by all!
 Not as good as the book.. February 6, 2008
The movie will probably be good to you if you've never read the book. I was a little frustrated with it, because the ending was so different. It's still worth watching, though.
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