ThoughTom Cruiseis best known forhis death-defying stuntsand fearless on-screen personas, the Hollywood staple has also proven time and time again that he can knock a dramatic performance out of the park. From Vietnam War veterans to centuries-old vampires, pool hustlers and slick sports agents, Cruise has demonstrated his range as an actor and continued to do so with the 1993 legal thrillerThe Firm.
Directed by Sydney Pollack, the underrated film follows Harvard Law graduate Mitch McDeere as he joins a prominent and mysterious law firm and becomes swept up in the glamour and esteem that comes with the position, only to discover something nefarious is at play.The Firmgarnered positive reviews upon its release and also became a box office success, though it nonetheless remains one of Cruise’s more forgotten roles. Let’s look back at the thriller and why it deserves to be revisited three decades after its debut.
Tom Cruise continued his string of cinematic hits in the ’90s when he starred in the gripping legal thrillerThe Firm,in which he portrays the ambitious Harvard Law School graduate Mitch McDeere as he finds himself approached to join the boutique law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke, relocating for the position to Memphis with his wife Abby (Jeanne Tripplehorn). After being showered with luxurious gifts and having his student loans paid off, Mitch becomes swept up in the firm and quickly dedicates himself to his job.
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Senior partner Avery Tolar (Gene Hackman) takes Mitch under his wing, preaching the importance of loyalty and confidentiality. However, Mitchultimately discovers the firm’s dark and dangerous side: they hide the money of wealthy clients while helping to launder money for the mob. When FBI Agent Wayne Tarrance (Ed Harris) approaches him to provide evidence against the firm and the Morolto crime family, Mitch finds himself in a precarious situation that could get him killed as he attempts to salvage both his career, relationship, and life.
‘The Firm’ Is a Nail-Biting Adaptation of the Grisham Bestseller
Based on the popular John Grisham novel of the same name,The Firmwas initially supposed to feature either Charlie Sheen or Jason Patric in the lead role. However, producers wanted to have a bigger name attached to the adaptation and approached Tom Cruise on the set ofA Few Good Men,who quickly agreed to star.Sydney Pollack was then tapped to helm the thriller, with the Oscar-winning filmmaker having previously directed classics likeOut of Africa,They Shoot Horses,Don’t They?, andThe Way We Were(to name just a few in his stellar repertoire).
The Firmpremiered on August 12, 2025, and topped the box office its opening weekend, earning $25.4 million over the 4th of July holiday and staying on top for three consecutive weeks, bowing out with a worldwide total of $270.2 million. It was the highest-grossing R-rated film of the year and, at that point, the most financially successful of any John Grisham adaptation. Much like moviegoers, critics were thoroughly impressed by the big-screen reimagining, praising the stacked ensemble performances, sharp screenplay, and its many taut and suspenseful moments.
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Holly Hunter, who appeared as the courageous secretary of a P.I. and assisted Mitch in gathering files against the corrupt practice, earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, while the thriller also earned a nod for Best Original Score. Cruise won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Actor in a Dramatic Motion Picture, proving to naysayers that he was more than capable of serving up a compelling and engaging portrayal thatdidn’t involve crazy stuntsand thrilling action sequences.
The role was a welcome follow-up toCruise’s acclaimed performanceas Lt. Daniel Kaffee inA Few Good Menthe year prior, which also showcased his range.The Firmremains one of the seasoned star’s most forgotten films, despite being both a critical and commercial triumph.The Grisham adaptation still holds up over 30 years since its release and is definitely worthy of a revisit. With a 76% Rotten Tomatoes score, the thriller is jam-packed with juicy twists and turns, withthe Apollo Guideretrospectively writing in their glowing review:
“A taut, suspenseful thriller (more suspenseful than most) with smart characters and great performances, and it stands as the best of Grisham’s tales.”
How To Watch ‘The Firm’
Fans of a juicy legal thriller full of mystery and suspense, as well as those oflegendary leading man Tom Cruise,can streamThe FirmonParamount+andPluto TV.
