THE FIRM (1993)

Cuddly granddad-type Wilford Brimley was a hoot (and very good) as the evil head of security. Brimley's brief role and the well acted scene between Cruise and Tripplehorn when he tells her about his adultery are my only memories of the film which I saw on cable not long after its theatrical release.

I have always liked this film . I like Jeanne Tripplehorn and she is a good match for Cruise. He may see himself as a mate for Angelina Jolie , Nicole Kidman et al, leggy super beauties, but nature intended him for the more prosaic charms of Tripplehorn. I like that in this film , though she is a good girl, she is by far the stronger partner, if only because she knows who she is.

I loved gene Hackman . I’m musing about your claim that anyone could have played Avery Tolar. It’s a part full of whiskey and cigarettes and I can think of many actors who could play it, JAMES Coburn, Jason Robards, even Dean Martin, anyone at home with a weak self loathing alcoholic type. I disagree that Hackman brought nothing fresh to the role.  Avery seemed strong and sleazy then slowly revealed himself to be decent and damaged. Maybe a lot of actors could do it, but Hackman made us like the guy as he revealed his weakness.


I especially liked the pale milky Terry Kinney as the stockyard goat leading cruise into the slaughterhouse. Hal Holbrook as the senior partner , talking family values , laundering mafia millions, was great . The whole Holly Hunter Gary Busey thing did not grab me. Don’t know what was wrong with Busey but he seemed very ill at ease with the lines. Hunter seemed miscast as the sleepy party doll, but as her part shifted to chief conspirator she was fine and her scenes with Tripplehorn and David Straithairn were adorable.

I’m not a southerner but I thought the southern vibe was fine . Wonder how real residents of the Deep South felt. My very favorites were PAUL SORVINO and Joe Viterelli as the dreaded Moralto brothers. Francis Ford Coppola changed forever the way these scenes with real mobsters are played. These guys shed danger like dry ice sheds carbon dioxide, cold, and still. They said not one discourteous thing , offered Cruise a seat and a drink, made no threats , and took over the film.

I have to say that Cruise did well. He was basically the puppy, owned by everyone in the film , from his wife to his bosses, to the feds led by Ed Harris, to Steven Hill in a nice cameo as the AG. He is everyone’s little brother, even Holly Hunter treats him like a kid badly needing to be clued in. Without giving up that little brother spot he manages to get the best of all of them. It was well done.

Finally Dave Grusin. I would like to think that he can toss these off easily. I was so disappointed to see him on a talk show where the host was fawning over him for this score, and Grusin was basking in it, like “ yes I am pretty wonderful” The he got up to play the main theme, and it was disappoint8ng because it’s not a concert piece. He is a lesson in how Hollywood overexposure can really mess with you. The score had lots of color and movement. It had the potential to be too assertive , as Max Steiner’s scores sometimes were, but the director used Grusin’s music wisely.

marshamae
You should review movies more often ... your's makes me want to watch The Firm again !



Have only seen it once and that was ages ago !

a new favorite phraseology ! 

That brief scene with Paul Sorvino and Joe Viterelli was awesome.

Director Pollack was drawn to this project because of its negative look at the legal profession.

He had an adversarial relationship for many years with attorneys.

marshamae Rufus-T

Just finished watching The Firm again and enjoyed it even more having read your comments ... thanks !
It deserves / needs more than one viewing to catch the twisty bits and to enjoy all the great character actor performances without being distracted by the busy busy plot details.