On C List of Movie Reviews

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The Client (1994)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 12/05, 4/26

Client
12/05: Adapted from John Grisham's novel, The Client is a decently directed murder mystery thriller.

Thanks to his great-looking set of blue eyes, Kim Coates is chilling as the badass Gronke. Brad Renfro isn't terrible but is totally raw. I blew raspberries in 1995 after finding out Susan Sarandon was Oscar-nominated.

I read the book, and it's an interesting story. But is it believable? I'll have to say no. When Gronke was in the elevator with the boy, why did he let him go? He would've killed him...easy as pie.

All in all, The Client is worth watching.

4/26: "I was just scared, I guess. My little brother's in a coma, my mom might lose her job, the FBI's after me, but I don't know nothin'."

Pure John Grisham. Time has now been kind to The Client. It's a terrific thriller that should keep anyone at the edge of his or her seat. What an all-star cast as well. Having Tommy Lee Jones on board as Revered Roy Foltrigg is the more the merrier. Mary-Louise Parker deserves a strong mention for playing the boy's mother. It's funny to see William H. Macy in pre-ER form with Anthony Edwards soon joining him.

Susan Sarandon owes her Oscar nomination to Brad Renfro who showed up out of nowhere in 1994 at the age of 11 to give a strong performance. He had no acting experience, wasn't formally trained, and had been running afoul with the law for a while. What you see in the film isn't that different from his real life at the time. Brad Renfro can thank John Grisham for it because he "required that an established child actor not be cast and that an unknown from Tennessee be cast for the role."

All in all, it's too bad that John Grisham's books involving the judicial system wouldn't be made anymore after the failures of The Gingerbread Man and Runaway Jury.