THE FIRM
A film review by Jon Webb
Copyright 1993 Jon Webb
Tom Cruise plays a poor young man who has just graduated with the highest honors from Harvard Law School. He is recruited by a Southern law firm that gives him a high salary, a new house and car, etc. It turns out that they are corrupt, and he has to find a way out. He can't just resign, since the last four people who tried that are dead.
I thought the direction in this film was unfocussed. E.g., the scenes between Gene Hackman and Cruise's wife (whose name I can't remember) are supposed to establish his sexual interest in her, but don't. Similarly the first scene between Cruise and David Strathairn are supposed to convey Strathairn's desperation, but don't. It's this limpness of direction that makes "The Firm" boring at times and generally mediocre. For much of the movie, it is far easier to think of funny endings for scenes or the movie in general (e.g., "It's the right thing to do") than to concentrate on the somewhat convoluted plot.
Tom Cruise's acting, though, really brings the film along. I liked in particular his scene with the Mafia guys at the end. It's quite striking how he can take a part like this, which is not demanding, really not much more than a cartoon-character young ambitious lawyer, and make it really fun.
The movie has several actors playing small but interesting roles. Holly Hunter has been mentioned in other reviews as making her minor part into something that will revive her career. I liked her very much in her first scene, where she delivers a line that at simultaneously establishes her stupidity and weirdness with deadpan seriousness. She's also bouncing slightly through the whole film -- you get the feeling that there's a lot more going on there than she's allowed to depict in this film.
David Strathairn also has a fine small part. As always, it is a thrill to watch him. Gary Busey is also good in a small part.
-- J .
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