The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

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. The Client is unfortunately another Joel Schumacher film that is simply a waste of time, money and definitely talent since both Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon feel like back up characters for this little kid to be the main star. The villains were boring and just cartoony and even worse? the whole thing with the mafia lawyer killing himself? Was beyond stupid and cheesy for sure. (0/10)

first off I want to say even for all the plot holes in this movie it is still an OK movie to watch. But I just could not find it as enjoyable as I could when the kid you have to root for is a snot nosed little brat you want to smack the crap out of yourself. Saying that though even for when this movie was made the outstanding mistakes made by the legal part of this movie is beyond me. First off you have a cop intimidating a child witness which makes no sense, second when Mark was first brought in to talk to the lawyers they never would have anyway interviewed him without his mother because any defense lawyer would then tear apart the kids statement as soon as he took the stand and have all evidence thrown out of court, thirdly this is all based on what the lawyer might have told the kid which considering there is no proof they could ever possibly know what was actually talked about in the car all, all mark had to say was the guy just talked about wanting to die and the FBI could never prove otherwise and everything would once again be thrown out, fourth and finally even if Mark admitted that the lawyer told him something the FBI couldn't do anything with it because it is hearsay and also it broke client confidentiality as soon as the lawyer told Mark so it in no way could have been used as evidence and any evidence gotten from it would become invalid and not usable in a court of law. Also at one point in the movie the FBI hears on a wire tap the guy they want pretty much admitting to the crime and to wanting to whack the kid which is more than enough evidence they need to arrest him. OK movie but just full of to many plot holes to make any real sense.

I remember this as a great movie by Sarandon (Dead Man Walking), who got an Oscar nomination out of her performance in a year of great movies, the best being, of course, Four Weddings and a Funeral.Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, JFK) was super as the Rev. Roy, and the lovely and talented Mary-Louise Parker ("Weeds", "Angels in America") was great as Mark's (Brad Renfro) mom. Anthony LaPaglia was just the embodiment of evil as Barry Muldano.The supporting cast reads like a Who's Who of Hollywood: J.T. Walsh, William H. Macy, Bradley Whitford, Anthony Edwards, Ossie Davis, and more.

Based on the novel of the same name by John Grisham, 'The Client', directed by Joel Schumacher, in an interesting thriller, that also packs in memorable performances by it's lead-cast.'The Client' tells the story of a eleven-year old boy, who, witnesses the suicide of a lawyer whose client is in the mob, and a female attorney, who, tries to protect him. Joel Schumacher's body of work is a mixed bag. However, 'The Client', can surely rank amongst his better works. He has handled a couple of sequences with ease. However, I would like to state, that, the writing loses pace in it's final 30-minutes. And thus, the desired impact gets distracted. If it had been better or should I say more crisper, this flick would've been a classic affair! Tony Pierce-Roberts's Cinematography is good. Editing is fine.Performance-Wise: As told before, the lead casts pack in memorable performances. Susan Sarandon is excellent as the female lawyer. Brad Renfro does a sincere job. Tommy Lee Jones is superb as the calculative U.S. Attorney. Mary-Louise Parker is good. J. T. Walsh is effective.On the whole, 'The Cilent' is A Good Film in all respects. Definitely worth a watch!