The Client (1994 film)

The Client
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Joel Schumacher
Screenplay by	Akiva Goldsman Robert Getchell
Produced by	Arnon Milchan Steven Reuther
Starring	Susan Sarandon Tommy Lee Jones Brad Renfro
Cinematography	Tony Pierce-Roberts
Edited by	Robert Brown
Music by	Howard Shore
Production companies	Regency Enterprises Alcor Films
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	July 20, 1994 (1994-07-20)
Running time	119 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$45 million
Box office	$117,615,211

The Client is a 1994 American legal thriller film directed by Joel Schumacher, and starring Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones, and Brad Renfro. It is based on the novel of the same name by John Grisham. The film was released in the United States on July 20, 1994.

Plot

Mark Sway and his little brother, Ricky, are smoking cigarettes in the woods near their home when they encounter Mob lawyer Jerome Clifford. Clifford tells Mark that he is about to kill himself to avoid being murdered by Barry "The Blade" Muldanno, the nephew of notorious mob kingpin Johnny Sulari. Ricky goes into severe shock after witnessing the suicide and is hospitalized. Authorities - and the Mob - realize that Clifford may have told Mark where a Louisiana senator that was murdered by Muldanno is buried.

Mark meets Regina "Reggie" Love, a lawyer and recovering alcoholic, who agrees to represent him. They quickly run afoul of "Reverend" Roy Foltrigg, a celebrated and vain US Attorney who is using the case as a springboard for his political ambitions. In the meantime, it is revealed that Sulari never authorized Muldanno to kill the senator and wants Muldanno to uncover how much the boys know. Muldanno is also ordered to move the body, but currently he is unable to because it is buried in Clifford's boathouse, and police are still on the property investigating his suicide.

Foltrigg continues to use legal means to get Mark to reveal where the body is hidden, while Sulari orders Muldanno to kill the children and Reggie. He also orders the body to be moved once the investigation at Clifford's home is concluded.

Mark and Reggie go to New Orleans to confirm that the body is on Clifford's property. Reggies intends to use this information to broker a deal with Foltrigg to get Ricky specialized medical care and place the family in the witness protection program. Reggie and Mark arrive at Clifford's house the same night as Muldanno and his accomplices. They are digging up the body, but a melee that follows when Mark and Reggie are discovered. Muldanno and the others flee after the neighbor's alarm is tripped.

Foltrigg agrees to Reggie's demands in exchange for information about the body's location. Before the Sway family leaves to restart their lives under new identities, Mark and Reggie share a heartfelt goodbye. Although not explicitly stated, Sulari has had enough of Muldanno and intends to have his nephew killed. With the body recovered, Foltrigg is a lock-in for the media headlines he craves, and mention that he intends to run for governor.

Cast

• Susan Sarandon as Regina "Reggie" Love
• Tommy Lee Jones as "Reverend" Roy Foltrigg
• Brad Renfro as Mark Sway
• Mary-Louise Parker as Dianne Sway
• David Speck as Ricky Sway
• Anthony LaPaglia as Barry "The Blade" Muldanno
• J. T. Walsh as Jason McThune
• Anthony Heald as Larry Trumann
• Bradley Whitford as Thomas Fink
• Anthony Edwards as Clint Von Hooser
• Micole Mercurio as Momma Love
• Ossie Davis as Judge Harry Roosevelt
• Will Patton as Sergeant Hardy
• Dan Castellaneta as Slick Moeller
• Ron Dean as Uncle Johnny Sulari
• Kim Coates as Paul Gronke
• William H. Macy as Dr. Greenway
• Kimberly Scott as Doreen
• Walter Olkewicz as Jerome "Romey" Clifford

Reception

Box office

The film was a financial success, earning $92,115,211 at the North American domestic box office and an additional $25,500,000 internationally, for a worldwide total of $117,615,211.

Critical response

The film received generally positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes retrospectively collected reviews from 35 critics to give the film a score of 80%, with an average score of 6.1 out of 10.

Roger Ebert gave the film a score of 2.5 out of 4.

Awards

For her work in the film, Sarandon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Adaptations

Main article: The Client (TV series)

The film spawned a TV series of the same name, starring JoBeth Williams and John Heard. The show lasted one season (1995–1996).

See also

• Trial movies

External links

• The Client at IMDb
• The Client at AllMovie