The Client

Adaptations of John Grisham novels can be divided roughly into two types. There are the big stars, big directors and big conspiracies of The Firm and The Pelican Brief, then there are the equally starry but smaller scale, more "human" films, of which this is probably the first. Here, Susan Sarandon plays the little-league lawyer who takes on the case of her career when young Brad Renfro, who has inadvertently witnessed a Mob-related suicide, asks her to represent him. She soon finds herself up against the full might of the legal establishment, led by ambitious federal attorney Tommy Lee Jones, while at the same time trying to protect her youthful client from vengeful Mafia hitman Anthony LaPaglia. Director Joel Schumacher isn't exactly noted for his subtlety, but he makes a pretty good go of producing a believable relationship between the stubborn but lonely Sarandon and the rebellious Renfro. He also makes excellent use of the Memphis locations and serves up some expertly staged action sequences, the best of which is a gripping chase through a hospital. The plotting takes some swallowing, but Sarandon is as truthful as ever, while her young co-star gives an amazingly mature performance. Jones and LaPaglia make the most of their more flamboyant roles and there are also impeccable turns from a supporting cast (including JT Walsh, Mary-Louise Parker, Ossie Davis and Anthony Edwards) that most directors would give their right arm for. The film spawned a TV series, with JoBeth Williams in the Sarandon role.