The Client (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Director Joel Schumacher's exciting, tense & superbly acted 1994 courtroom drama/thriller, 'The Client', is one of THE best film adaptations of a John Grisham legal mystery novel that I've seen. This film takes place in that wonderfully evocative, steamy Southern Gothic world of political corruption, evil & cynicism. Academy Award-nominated Susan Sarandon stars as Reggie Love, the feisty Memphis-based lawyer {and recovering alcoholic} who 11 yr. old Memphis boy, Mark Sway (newcomer Brad Renfro), turns to when he finds his life in danger after having witnessed a terrifying Mafia suicide & overhears a mob lawyer's deadly secret in revealing the exact locale of a Louisiana senator's corpse, Boyd Boyette.
Soon enough, Mark becomes target, not only of the mob, but also the ravenous media, and vain, but celebrated U.S Attorney, 'Reverend' Roy Foltrigg (Tommy Lee Jones). Mark, who remembers his father abusing his mother (Mary-Louise Parker), finds a soul mate in Reggie; who has gone through her own hell & fights personal demons from her past. The emotional tie btwn. these 2 characters is what puts 'The Client' a notch above most other courtroom procedurals and, watching them fight both their demons AND the various dangers of the plot is something to behold.
Susan Sarandon is perfect as the world-weary {for reasons we come to find out}, tough-as-nails lawyer ... but she's also humane & warm enough to understand her young client's complex emotional needs. Making his film debut, Brad Renfro - from nearby Knoxville, Tennessee - beat thousands of other young actors for the role of Mark; including Home Alone's Macaulay Culkin. Tommy Lee Jones is fantastic as the politically ambitious D.A. with whom Reggie & Mark must do battle with. And a large ensemble cast consisting of the aforementioned Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony LaPaglia, J.T. Walsh, Will Patton, Anthony Edwards, William H. Macy, William Sanderson & the great Ossie Davis add much to the proceedings.
This film just drips with southern-fried atmosphere & absorbing legal happenstance -- my kinda movie. That atmosphere is aided by Schumacher's slick direction, Akiva Goldsman's script, Tony Pierce-Robert's moody cinematography, & Howard Shore's music. Now, the last hour of this 2 hour film is not as sturdy & convincing as the 1st hour; what with Reggie Love & young Mark turning into amateur sleuths. They risk their lives to solve the case and, the whole enterprise down the home stretch just felt a bit overblown in their dogged attempt to overthrow the mob lawyers, gangsters & oily politicians. But while I prefer the 1st hour, it all ends satisfactorily, and it's the type of gripping, yet comfortable film you want to watch over & over again.
Soon enough, Mark becomes target, not only of the mob, but also the ravenous media, and vain, but celebrated U.S Attorney, 'Reverend' Roy Foltrigg (Tommy Lee Jones). Mark, who remembers his father abusing his mother (Mary-Louise Parker), finds a soul mate in Reggie; who has gone through her own hell & fights personal demons from her past. The emotional tie btwn. these 2 characters is what puts 'The Client' a notch above most other courtroom procedurals and, watching them fight both their demons AND the various dangers of the plot is something to behold.
Susan Sarandon is perfect as the world-weary {for reasons we come to find out}, tough-as-nails lawyer ... but she's also humane & warm enough to understand her young client's complex emotional needs. Making his film debut, Brad Renfro - from nearby Knoxville, Tennessee - beat thousands of other young actors for the role of Mark; including Home Alone's Macaulay Culkin. Tommy Lee Jones is fantastic as the politically ambitious D.A. with whom Reggie & Mark must do battle with. And a large ensemble cast consisting of the aforementioned Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony LaPaglia, J.T. Walsh, Will Patton, Anthony Edwards, William H. Macy, William Sanderson & the great Ossie Davis add much to the proceedings.
This film just drips with southern-fried atmosphere & absorbing legal happenstance -- my kinda movie. That atmosphere is aided by Schumacher's slick direction, Akiva Goldsman's script, Tony Pierce-Robert's moody cinematography, & Howard Shore's music. Now, the last hour of this 2 hour film is not as sturdy & convincing as the 1st hour; what with Reggie Love & young Mark turning into amateur sleuths. They risk their lives to solve the case and, the whole enterprise down the home stretch just felt a bit overblown in their dogged attempt to overthrow the mob lawyers, gangsters & oily politicians. But while I prefer the 1st hour, it all ends satisfactorily, and it's the type of gripping, yet comfortable film you want to watch over & over again.