The Firm Movie Was 'a Mess,' Says John Grisham

John Grisham has weighed in on the movie adaptations of his legal thrillers, and the verdict for the 1993 Tom Cruise film The Firm is not favorable.

Speaking on The Rest is Entertainment podcast, Grisham said the Sydney Pollack-directed film "was a mess" and "fun to watch but the ending really got lost." The Firm, based on Grisham's 1991 bestseller, changed the book's climax significantly. Despite Grisham's criticism, the film earned $270 million worldwide, holds a 77% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned Oscar nominations for Holly Hunter and composer Dave Grusin.

Grisham also shared his thoughts on other adaptations. He called 1996's A Time to Kill "okay." The Chamber, also from 1996, got a harsher review: "not very good." Grisham said he read the script and told the studio "don't film this," but they went ahead anyway. The film bombed at the box office, and Grisham admitted he was "kind of glad nobody went to see it."

His favorite adaptation is Francis Ford Coppola's 1997 legal thriller The Rainmaker, starring Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Claire Danes and Jon Voight. Grisham recalled Coppola telling him he would "stick to the story," which the author appreciated: "That's all you can ask for. Be very faithful to the source material." Grisham spent time on set, drinking espresso with Coppola between takes, and called the adaptation "very good" with a "really great cast."

Grisham's work has been adapted into numerous films and TV series, including The Pelican Brief, The Client, Runaway Jury and a short-lived NBC sequel to The Firm. The Rainmaker got a TV remake on USA Network in 2025, with season two premiering October 16.

• Francis Ford Coppola
• John Grisham
• movie adaptations
• The Firm
• The Rainmaker
• Tom Cruise