Customer Reviews
Faithfully adapted - By: G. J. Weeks, 22 Mar 2008 
A faithful adaptation of the novel. Jones & Sarandon are excellent. Sometimes the diction could have been clearer.
Reggie to the Rescue. - By: Themis-Athena, 23 Jun 2004 You gotta hand it to John Grisham: Nobody has the various lawyer cliches down pat as well as him -in fact, it almost seems as if he invented or at least, reinvented many of them. Asin most of his thrillers, we get a whole handfulin "The Client": the slimy mafia lawyer, the power-hungry politician-to-be, the self-aggrandizing ambulance-chaser, the grandfatherly judge and, of course, the motherly family law practitioner who turned to legal practice after overcoming a few troubles of her own. I think that leaves only the greedy corporate attorney, his cousin the corrupt judge & their perpetual antagonists, the starving public interest lawyer & the inquisitive student prodigy unrepresented here; but still, not a bad collection for a single thriller, even by Grisham. (And that doesn't even include the count of dumb and/or malicious cops, slick tabloid journalists & ruthless mobsters running aroundin this story.) But never mind: "The Client" is one of John Grisham's best-ever novels, & this movie surpasses many another big-screen adaptation of his books by several leagues. For Grisham at the top of his game is also an excellent storyteller, &in the hands of director Joel Schumacher his tale of beleaguered eleven-year-old Mark Sway who getsin trouble by becoming the reluctant last confidant of suicidal defense attorney Jerome "Romey" Clifford comes to lifein spot-on & truly gripping fashion.
Although not even a teenager yet, Mark (Brad Renfro) is as tough as they come - a Memphis trailer park kid who gets most of his education on life's really important aspects from TV, has already helped his mom (Mary-Louise Parker) get rid of the wife-beating guy he now calls his "ex-father," & since then has been the manin the house, taking care of his eight-year-old brother Ricky whenever their mother is at work (i.e., most of the time). So Mark doesn't scare easily; & even if he really is afraid, he'd rather drop dead than admit it. But with both the mob *and* the feds on his trail - the former out to kill him before he can share the dirty little secret they suspect Romey has spilled before blowing out his brains, the latter hell-bent on making him share that very secret - even Mark has to face the fact that he isin way over his head ... & yes, he's scared, too; & not just a little. Worse, his brother is out cold,in hospital being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder because watching Romey's suicide was more than his delicate eight-year-old soul could take, & their mother isin hospital with Ricky on the doctor's orders because Ricky might need her when he wakes up. (Consequently she's also out of a job, because her sweat-shop employer doesn't take kindly to this sort of family emergency). Reluctantly, Mark therefore concludes that he needs an attorney. Andin short order, he lands on the doorstep of Regina "Reggie" Love (Susan Sarandon), middle-aged but only a few years out of law school, through which she put herself after her husband left her for a younger woman, not without depriving her of their children's custody & branding her an unfit mother. But what starts as a hesitant relationship at best on Mark's side soon turns out his one stroke of luck, because Reggie is probably the only lawyerin town not afraid to take on even powerful U.S. Attorney "Reverend" Roy Foltrigg (Tommy Lee Jones) & the FBI, & ultimately willing to put her own job at risk for her client.
While condensing some of its elements, the movie's screenplay follows Grisham's novel fairly closely, taking part of its dialogue straight from the book. Yet, "The Client" lives not only from John Grisham's gripping story but also - & primarily - from its characters & outstanding cast, including the ever-reliable J.T. Walsh (FBI Agent McThune), William H. Macy (Ricky's doctor), Anthony Edwards (Reggie's assistant Clint), Ossie Davis (Judge Roosevelt) & Walter Olkewicz ("Romey" Clifford). Unquestioningly most memorable, however, is the quintet at the movie's center. Brad Renfro was selected by Schumacher for his first-ever screen appearance as Mark because he had a somewhat similar background as the story's hero & thus, an intuitive understanding that, along with his innate toughness, ultimately proved more convincing than the acting skills of more experienced child actors; & indeed, he so compellingly carries his part that he deservedly garnered a 1995 Young Artists Award. Susan Sarandon earned another Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Reggie, who actually listens to her clients & makes sure even those of their desires that may seem trivial to others are taken care of; such as Dianne Sway's wish for a walk-in closet. (Sarandon's Academy-Award nomination was her fourth after "Atlantic City," "Thelma & Louise" & "Lorenzo's Oil;" but although she had to wait yet another year to finally score an Oscar with "Dead Man Walking," "The Client" at least won her a BAFTA Award). Tommy Lee Jones plays the bible-quoting Foltrigg with his tongue firmly plantedin his cheek & thus, although occasionally terrifying, makes him a more complete & almost even likeable character; much more so than he isin Grisham's novel. Mary-Louise Parker's Dianne Sway truly brings to life the young besieged trailer park mom desperately trying to get a grip on her life, & Anthony LaPaglia finally is simultaneously frightening & unintentionally funny as the slick but not overly bright mob killer Barry "The Blade" Muldanno, the source of Clifford's (and consequently everybody else's) problems.
So, watch this for the outstanding performances of the five central characters as well as the fine ensemble cast, for one of John Grisham's most gripping yarns, & for Joel Schumacher's excellent editing & sense of place. This may not be a major milestonein movie history (except regarding Brad Renfro's career of course), but it's without question one of the best thrillers of the past 15 years & easily recommended on that basis alone.
A John Grisham special - By: stef_nz@hotmail.com, 10 Mar 2000 Based on the John Grisham novel the film stars Tommy Lee Jones who plays a federal prosecutor only interestedin getting information from a young boy who witnessed an important witnesses final moments without any regard for his welfare. Susan Sarandon stepsin as a hard nosed lawyer who is intent on protecting the boy. With some great courtroom scenes this film is great for John Grisham fans & those who are after watching a good all round film.
