Firm [Blu-ray] [1993] [US Import]

Excellent

Excellent viewing even after all these years.

This is an intelligent, engaging and mostly very successful thriller based on the book of the same name by John Grisham. Tom Cruise stars as Mitch McDeere, backed by an incredibly strong ensemble class that includes Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter, Garey Busey and a handful of movie regulars (such as Wilford Brimley and Hal Holbrook), who you will instantly recognise even if you can't place them right away.Young Mitch McDeere, fresh out of Harvard Law School and with his young wife (Jeanne Tripplehorn) is recruited into the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert and Locke. Plunged into the "big league" and put under pressure to exceed when he sits the Bar Exam, young Mitch is completely thrown when he runs into two complete strangers (Ed Harris and sidekick) in a late-night diner. They drop some curious hints about the Firm that young Mitch has just joined, sending the lawyer on a wild, roller-coaster journey into the unknown - one that involves crooks, mobsters, Private Investigators and more.As the pressure rises, as suspicions grow and as Mitch needs to figure out the good guys from the bad guys, things are only just beginning to get interesting...This is a well-crafted thriller, replete with some excellent performances, a mostly-taught plot and just about the right amount of suspense to keep things moving along. The film does deviate from the book in a few places (mainly, it is guessed, because the subtle incracies of the book would be hard to convey on screen, as well as an attempt to ratchet up some tension).Overall, whilst the film may have lacked the stand-out performances of say Jack Nicholson's Colonel Nathan R Jessup from "A Few Good Men", it carries every bit as much quality from a cracking case and screenplay. It's also very clear to see why, after that movie, that Cruise was chosen for the lead role - despite his association with action films at the time, he turns in a convincingly intense performance here.Just one observation specific to the BluRay edition, which is that the transfer quality is pretty poor - I have DVD discs with better picture quality than this BluRay... Could do with a clean-up...

As usual, Sydney Pollock's direction is in a safe pair of hands. A star cast headed by; Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Holly Hunter etc. makes this complicated, but very enjoyable thriller a treat to watch. Looks excellent on Blu-ray, the sound track could have done with a bit of attention; you need the volume fairly high when watching the film (if you watch without subtitles) only to get you ears blasted when you watch the "teaser trailer" & cinema trailer; the only 2 extras on the disc. With such a delightful film, a commentary track, or two, and some featurettes about the shooting of the film; wouldn't have gone amiss.

Saw this film when first released in the cinema ,nice to view again.

We were caught out by starting this film way too late in the evening. So ordered a copy to do catch up with. Glad we did as this has gone onto the preferred viewing shelf now.I won't give anything away, but good performances from all, Cruise at his best, believable marriage break and make up, Hackman at his cheesiest. Great plot, good tension, build up holds interest and we found ourselves watching it for a second time a week later.Frighteningly, it is all quite believable, but you do wonder how a law graduate did get caught up with the Firm, but then, that's how it works...Very watchable, not only for fans of those among the cast, but for all those who want a good plot to follow. Fully recommended.

Sensational

One of Cruises better efforts