Released in 1994, The Client is a decent thriller that is brought to us by the legendary Joel Schumacher. By the way, his 80s classic The Lost Boys is still the greatest vampire movie of all time. Joel Schumacher’s 90s credits are really wild. Joel Schumacher made The Client, then Batman Forever, then A Time to Kill, Batman and Robin, and then 8MM. Kind of crazy that he made these brutal and hard-hitting movies, and then in between those, he made two Batman movies.
Where to Watch The Client
The Client was released on July 20, 1994. You can stream the film from a digital platform.
The Client Movie Review
This movie had a pretty quick turnaround, as it is based on a 1993 book by John Grisham. The story goes that Grisham actually had a lot of say in the production of the movie. That may be why they were able to get such a great cast with Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon in the lead roles.
Brad Renfro’s Breakout Role in The Client
You cannot talk about The Client without mentioning the fantastic performance of young Brad Renfro. This was Brad Renfro’s first movie role, and he absolutely nailed it. He would go on to become a pretty big young star in the 90s before tragically passing away, way too young, due to not being able to get his drug problem under control. He is also in the movie Sleepers, which is brutal, but such a fantastic and heartbreaking movie.
Plot Summary
The plot centers around a pre-teen kid called Mark, played by Brad Renfro. Brad and his younger brother are messing around when they see a guy try to kill himself in his car! Brad steps in and tries to stop it, but this guy pulls Brad into his car and tries to take Brad with him! Brad and his brother manage to get away, but they see the man kill himself, and it traumatizes Brad’s younger brother so badly, he slips into a catatonic state.
The Mob Secrets and Legal Drama
This was no average Joe! Turns out that this guy was a lawyer for the mob, and he spilled some pretty big secrets to Brad about the murder of a senator. This puts Brad in a very dangerous position. Firstly, Tommy Lee Jones’s DA Foltrigg is trying to pressure Brad into telling him everything he knows, mainly where the senator’s body is buried, as without it, they do not have a case against this crime family.
Susan Sarandon’s Reggie: The Client’s Moral Compass
However, Brad is kind of saved by a lawyer called Reggie, who is played by Susan Sarandon. Reggie does seem to have Brad’s best interests at heart, but she has troubles of her own. Oh, there is also the fact that the mob has sent a hitman to take care of Brad before he can spill the beans!
Final Thoughts
The Client is one of those movies that I remembered being better than it was. Hey, I am not saying that it is bad at all, and the first half of the movie is fantastic. However, I felt that the second half did not really live up to what the first set up. To be fair, it is still entertaining, but if I am being honest, I do not think that this is a movie I would probably watch again after watching it again recently for the first time in many years.
