The Client (1994)

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writers (WGA):

John Grisham (novel)
Akiva Goldsman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 July 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Mystery | Drama

Tagline:

A District Attorney Out For A Conviction. A New Lawyer Out Of Her League. A Young Boy Who Knew Too Much.

Plot:

A young boy who witnessed the suicide of a mafia lawyer hires an attorney to protect him when the district attorney tries to use him to take down a mob family.

Plot Keywords:

Fight The System | Child | Young | Family | Revenge

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. May 19

3:30 AM

TNT

Cast

Susan Sarandon	...	Regina "Reggie" Love
Tommy Lee Jones	...	'Reverend' Roy Foltrigg
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Dianne Sway
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Barry 'The Blade' Muldano
J.T. Walsh	...	Jason McThune
Anthony Edwards	...	Clint Von Hooser
Brad Renfro	...	Mark Sway
Will Patton	...	Sergeant Hardy
Bradley Whitford	...	Thomas Fink
Anthony Heald	...	Larry Trumann
Kim Coates	...	Paul Gronke
Kimberly Scott	...	Doreen
David Speck	...	Ricky Sway
William H. Macy	...	Dr. Greenway
Ossie Davis	...	Judge Harry Roosevelt

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Peru:14 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Clinton, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Alcor Films

Trivia:

At the time of the film, the only prior acting experience Brad Renfro had was a school production about D.A.R.E (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education). Renfro was arrested and convicted several times for drugs possession prior to his death in 2008.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Romey locks the door as Mark tries to get out, he first hits the unlock button instead of lock at 07:17 on the DVD, and then locks the doors at 07:21, which shows the lock/unlock button on Mark's door moving from unlock to lock.

Quotes:

Reggie: I have been sober for three years.
Mark: Yeah right, that's what all the drunks say, how they're gonna get sober and all. They even say they love you but they don't. And then they come home wasted and beat on you and your mother so bad that you gotta hit 'em in the face with a baseball bat!
Reggie: You're talkin' about your daddy aren't you?
Mark: Yeah, well, I got rid of him. When me and my mom went into court to by our divource our lawyer SUCKED as usual, so I went up there and told the judge myself about all the beatin's, about how he made us sleep in the street. And that's when my father became my ex-father, and now I got you, and you're a drunk and a bad lawyer too! So now I'm gettin' rid of you, you're fired, okay?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Will & Grace: William, Tell (#1.6)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

She Said

Another Great Grisham Book Turned Into A Movie

Back in 1994, I read this book and just like other John Grisham's novels, with the exception of "The Pelican Brief", once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.

Director Joel Schumacher and Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman did an excellent job keeping the movie within the storyline without doing a horrible "hatchet job" most do to novels.

In addition, there was an excellent flow to the movie. It kept moving along; There wasn't very many slow moments in it and it kept me on the edge of my seat.

The casting was great as well. I liked Susan Sarandon as Reggie Love, Brad Renfro as Mark Sway, Tommy Lee Jones was a perfect fit as the "Revered" Roy Foltrigg. Will Patton as Sergent Hardy, was an excellent sleezy and conniving officer.

When I saw Anthony LaPaglia as Barry "The Blade" Muldano, I didn't envision the greasy sleezeball he portrayed, but someone more tougher or perhaps more thuggish. But Anthony LaPaglia fit just fine.

This is a movie worth renting.