The Client (1994)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

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:

Mafia | Lawyer | Suicide | Senator | Boy

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

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

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for a child in jeopardy and brief language.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Germany:12 | 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:

Joel Schumacher proposed "movie marriage" to Susan Sarandon in the middle of a crowded New York City restaurant during the summer of 1993 in order to convince her to do the movie. She agreed to make the film a few days later.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mark and Reggie hug while his family is boarding the plane to Phoenix, there are flipped shots where Reggie's bracelet swaps from her "right" wrist in close-ups of Mark showing her "right" hand is on Mark's shoulder (at 1:53:54 and 01:53:57 on the DVD) to her left wrist in her close-up where her left hand is on the back of Mark's head (at 1:53:56 on the DVD). This was done intentionally because Mark's head was actually facing to his left in his close-up but was facing to his right in Reggie's close-up; the flip avoids Mark appearing to turn his head during the hug.

Quotes:

Roy: Okay... what do you want?
Reggie: You have access to a private jet?
Roy: I do.
Reggie: Send it to Memphis, have it pick up Diane and Ricky Sway, bring them here. The whole family enters the Witness Protection program. Well, how are we doing so far?
Roy: [writing] Nothing I can't live with.
Reggie: The program sets them up with a fair income, and a nice little house. White, with a walk-in closet.
[off Roy's look]
Reggie: Well, write it down. "Walk-in closet."
Roy: [sarcastic] Is "walk in" hyphenated?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "American Dad!: Home Adrone (#5.3)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

St. Louis Blues

Intense thriller. A must see.

Joel Schumacher directs an intense and enthralling catch as catch can thriller based on John Grisham's novel of the same name. A young boy(Brad Renfro) witnesses the suicide of a high dollar lawyer, who is do to represent a Mafia hitman that is accused of killing a Senator. An egotistical district attorney(Tommy Lee Jones), the FBI and the Mafia all suspect that the boy, found at the scene, knows the dead lawyer's secrets. The 'wiser than his age' lad seeks help from a savvy female attorney (Susan Sarandon).

This movie leaves you little time to be bored. Not overly dramatic, but causing just enough tension to see you through to the end.

Also in the cast are Anthony Edwards, J.T. Walsh, William Macy and Ossie Davis.