The Client (1994)
When a mafioso’s lawyer who literally knows where the bodies are buried gets in deep with his client, he decides suicide is the only option. A little boy, Brad Renfro, is in the woods where he plans his escape, and rather than have a witness, he tries to kill him as well. Aided by his younger brother, the boy escapes. When the police find the boy’s fingerprints all over the dead man’s car, they start questioning him. The boy gets a lawyer, Susan Sarandon, and she tries to protect him from more bad guys than she originally bargained for. It’s extremely sad to watch this innocent little boy knowing what his future has in store for him. In 1994, it was merely remarkable that a kid from a trailer park with no previous acting experience was such a natural in front of the camera. Now, Brad Renfro’s name conjures tragedy.
The story itself isn’t bad, but there is a major hole that I didn’t understand. While the mafia, police, and the prosecutor are all convinced that just because Brad’s fingerprints were found inside the vehicle, he was told secrets about where the body is buried. Why wasn’t their first thought that the suicidal, emotionally disturbed man tried to molest the boy before taking his own life? Why did they think the only outcome of him being in the car was that he knew mafia secrets – especially since he kept lying about what took place inside the car. Obviously, it was something he didn’t want aired in public. And for that matter, why didn’t Brad finally tell everyone that he was the victim of attempted molestation? Everyone would have believed him, and his life would have no longer been in danger.
Besides that, it is an entertaining movie. Susan Sarandon looks beautiful and gets to show off her killer figure even through “lawyer clothes”. Tommy Lee Jones was offered a near copy of Lieutenant Girard from the previous year, but it is a part he does well. I would have liked to see have seen more character development, since he’s a great actor who can handle even small subtleties if given anything at all to work with. Still, this is a movie about Brad and his very frightening surroundings. He witnesses what no child should witness, and he has to fight for his life when very scary criminals chase after him. The adults are supporting characters, but they do help add a feeling of safety. The audience can relax, knowing that Susan will protect Brad; and if push comes to shove, Tommy Lee will do the same. He’s just a prosecutor, not a monster.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In a chase scene towards the end, the actors go up and down a stairwell and the camera follows them, and that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to upsetting scenes involving children, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Susan Sarandon movies here!
The story itself isn’t bad, but there is a major hole that I didn’t understand. While the mafia, police, and the prosecutor are all convinced that just because Brad’s fingerprints were found inside the vehicle, he was told secrets about where the body is buried. Why wasn’t their first thought that the suicidal, emotionally disturbed man tried to molest the boy before taking his own life? Why did they think the only outcome of him being in the car was that he knew mafia secrets – especially since he kept lying about what took place inside the car. Obviously, it was something he didn’t want aired in public. And for that matter, why didn’t Brad finally tell everyone that he was the victim of attempted molestation? Everyone would have believed him, and his life would have no longer been in danger.
Besides that, it is an entertaining movie. Susan Sarandon looks beautiful and gets to show off her killer figure even through “lawyer clothes”. Tommy Lee Jones was offered a near copy of Lieutenant Girard from the previous year, but it is a part he does well. I would have liked to see have seen more character development, since he’s a great actor who can handle even small subtleties if given anything at all to work with. Still, this is a movie about Brad and his very frightening surroundings. He witnesses what no child should witness, and he has to fight for his life when very scary criminals chase after him. The adults are supporting characters, but they do help add a feeling of safety. The audience can relax, knowing that Susan will protect Brad; and if push comes to shove, Tommy Lee will do the same. He’s just a prosecutor, not a monster.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In a chase scene towards the end, the actors go up and down a stairwell and the camera follows them, and that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to upsetting scenes involving children, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More Susan Sarandon movies here!