John Grishamhas hooked millions of readers withhis juicy legal thrillers, striking a good balance between high-octane plots and legal realism, drawing on his background as a lawyer. However, this recipe does not always translate well to the screen, with some adaptations of Grisham’s work coming out decidedly lackluster. At their worst, they completely fail to understand the appeal of his stories.
Nevertheless, a fair few of these adaptations succeed or even exceed their source material. They capture Grisham’s strong plots, compelling characters, and high-stakes courtroom drama while also coming across as plausible and grounded in the real world; some of these adaptations even make thoughtful statements on the nature of the justice system, making them ideal for fans of legal thrillers and procedurals. FromThe Gingerbread MantoA Time to Kill,these are the best adaptations of Grisham’s work.
Directed by Robert Altman
“The only exercise you are getting is jumpin' to conclusions.“Robert Altmandirected this legal thrillerfrom a Grisham manuscript that was never published. It starsKenneth Branaghas attorney Rick Magruder, whose life spirals out of control after he becomes romantically involved with a mysterious woman named Mallory Doss (Embeth Davidtz). His personal and professional lives collide as he finds himself in a battle of wits with Mallory’s unstable and threatening father, Dixon (Robert Duvall).
Altman is an interesting choice for this material, and he does a typically stellar job of elevating a thoroughly mediocre script. Unfortunately, even his talents aren’t enough to make this more than an average entry in the genre. That said, the lead actors are fairly charming, particularlyRobert Downey Jr.as an investigator and Duvall, most of all, as the chilling antagonist.Hardcore fans of legal thrillers will probably get a kick out of it, but general viewers will be lukewarm.
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9’The Chamber' (1996)
Directed by James Foley
“We come from a long line of hate.” One of Grisham’s darkest stories,The Chamberfocuses on Adam Hall (Chris O’Donnell), a young lawyer who takes on the daunting task of defending his grandfather, Sam Cayhall (Gene Hackman), a former Ku Klux Klan member on death row. As Adam delves into the case, he unravels dark family secrets and confronts the deeply ingrained racism that has plagued his lineage. With time running out, Adam faces moral and legal challenges as he grapples with his family’s past.
The movie touches on intriguing and explosive issues, but the storytelling is shoddy, and the script is underdeveloped(rewrites likely butcheredWilliam Goldman’s initial draft).The Chamberwas panned by most viewers, including Grisham himself. The authordescribed the filmas a “train wreck from the beginning,” adding that “it could not have been handled worse by those involved.” Ouch. The only really strong element isthe towering performance of Hackman as a condemned man, which is enough to make it worth a watch.
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8’The Pelican Brief' (1993)
Directed by Alan J. Pakula
“Everyone I have told about the brief is dead.” In this one, law student Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts) finds herself entangled in a dangerous conspiracy after she writes a legal brief linking the murders of two Supreme Court justices to a powerful oil tycoon. Her brief attracts the attention of both the FBI and assassins, and Darby goes on the run, seeking help from investigative journalist Gray Grantham (Denzel Washington).
The premise is compelling and is arguably more relevant todaythan it was in the 1990s, given the current tensions around the Supreme Court. The leads are undeniably watchable, and they’re joined by great supporting players likeStanley TucciandJohn Heard, who do their best to elevate a basic screenplay. There’s also decent suspense here, but it’s marred by generic dialogue and a disappointing third act.The movie is fundamentally pulpy, a far cry from directorAlan J. Pakula’searlier, more thoughtful worklikeAll the President’s Men.
The Pelican Brief
7’The Client' (1994)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, so sayeth the Psalms!“The Clientcenters on eleven-year-old Mark Sway (Brad Renfro), who becomes the target of both the FBI and the mafia after witnessing the suicide of a lawyer with ties to a mob boss. He enlists the help of attorney Reggie Love (Susan Sarandon), and the pair take on a host of legal as well as criminal threats.
The movie opens strong, with a tense prologue that throws the viewer into the heart of the action. The plot drags a little in the middle but regains its footing in the third act, a few predictable action scenes notwithstanding. In other words,The Clientmay not break any ground, butit’s well told and maintains an immersive moodthroughout.DirectorJoel Schumacherclearly understandsthe appeal of Grisham’s work, and Sarandon does a lot to flesh out her character and make Reggie fairly intriguing, receiving an Oscar nomination for her efforts.
The Client
6’The Firm' (2012)
Directed by David Straiton
“We’re different, and we take pride in that.“The Firmis a TV series based on Grisham’s most beloved novel (a film versionwas also made in 1993). The show picks up after the events of the book and original film, as attorney Mitch McDeere (Josh Lucas) emerges from a decade in witness protection after exposing a deadly mafia conspiracy. As Mitch, his wife Abby (Molly Parker), and their daughter Claire (Natasha Calis) attempt to rebuild their lives, they soon discover that old enemies are still after them.
The show is decent, if not especially amazing. It’s formulaic in the best way, never deviating far from blueprints laid by earlier legal shows. This makes it quite predictable but also reliably entertaining. Indeed,viewers who love legal procedurals may find that it precisely scratches that itch. In a nutshell,The Firmwill please fans of the original book who want to see more of the character, but it’s unlikely to win over any new converts.
5’The Innocent Man' (2018)
Directed by Clay Tweel
“I thought it was just a dream.“The Innocent Manstands apart from other Grisham movies in that it’s a true-crime documentary rather than a fictional story. Based on Grisham’s nonfiction book, the show examines two controversial murder cases in Ada, Oklahoma, focusing on the wrongful convictions ofRon WilliamsonandDennis Fritzfor the rape and murder ofDebra Sue Carter. The shoddy methods of the Ada police are placed front and center.
Through interviews, archival footage, and investigative reporting, the series explores the flaws in the justice system, including coerced confessions, faulty forensics, and systemic corruption. The issue of false confessions is an especially fascinating and troubling one. In examining these matters,The Innocent Manis mostly thoughtful rather than sensationalist, placing it above most true-crime shows that thrive on shock value. It could have dug more deeply into the implications of these bungled cases, but it succeeds simply as a well-told mystery.
The Innocent Man
4’The Firm' (1993)
Directed by Sydney Pollack
“I got mine, Wayne; you get the rest of them.“The Firmwas the book that really launched Grisham’s career. It’s unsurprising, given how juicy the plot is, something which is carried over to the film adaptation as well.Tom Cruiseleads the cast as young attorney Mitch McDeere, who lands a lucrative job at the prestigious Bendini, Lambert & Locke. As Mitch settles into his new role, he soon discovers that the firm is deeply involved in illegal activities, including money laundering for the mob.
Essentially, the tale fuses a legal procedural with a gangster film, a combination that proved irresistible for readers and viewers.The Firmis a good movie if not a great one, featuring a collection of strong performances (perhaps from Cruise most of all) andsturdy direction fromSydney Pollack. The only significant weakness is the dragged-out two-and-a-half runtime, which would have been improved by more judicious editing.
3’Runaway Jury' (2003)
Directed by Gary Fleder
“We let ‘em vote their hearts.” InRunaway Jury, a high-stakes legal battle unfolds as a widow (Joanna Going) sues a powerful gun manufacturer for her husband’s death in a workplace shooting. The trial takes a dramatic turn when juror Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) and his girlfriend Marlee (Rachel Weisz) manipulate the jury selection process to control the verdict. Soon, both the defense and the prosecution are vying for influence, using any means necessary.
Basically, the jury is for sale to the highest bidder, placing the protagonists in a moral conundrum. The plot is pretty far-fetched, but the actors make it seem grounded and plausible.Runaway Juryoffers Gene Hackman a charmingly corrupt roleas a jury consultant, Cusack and Weisz are delightfully conniving, and Dustin Hoffman exudes principle as an attorney with a moral compass. In contrast toThe Firm,Runaway Jurycrams all of its twists and main action into two hours.
Runaway Jury
2’The Rainmaker’ (1997)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
“Sworn in by a fool and vouched for by a scoundrel. I’m a lawyer at last.“Matt Damonleads the casthere as Rudy Baylor, an idealistic young attorney who takes on a monumental case against an insurance company that has wrongfully denied a claim for a bone marrow transplant. With the help of a paralegal (Danny DeVito), Rudy battles against the odds to bring justice to a dying leukemia patient and his desperate family.
This story could have come across as a dry exercise in legalese, butdirector Francis Ford Coppola transforms it into a slow-burning drama. He approaches Grisham’s tense plotting with more subtlety than most filmmakers who take on the author’s work, placing more of a focus on characterization and realism. As a result, Rudy feels like a real lawyer rather than a movie lawyer. For these reasons,The Rainmakerranks among the best legal dramas of the ’90s.
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1’A Time to Kill' (1996)
“If you win this case, justice will prevail, and if you lose, justice will also prevail. Now, that is a strange case.” The best movie based on Grisham’s work is this drama about racial tensions in 1980s Mississippi. The story revolves around attorney Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey), who defends Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson), a black man accused of murdering two white men who brutally raped his ten-year-old daughter.
This premise is compelling, raising fraught questions about vigilante justice and taking the law into one’s hands. Fundamentally, though,the main appeal ofA Time to Killis the performances. The ever-reliableJackson delivers a nuanced performanceof a man consumed by rage.Kevin Spacey, as the arrogant DA, is surprisingly charming even when being vicious.Sandra Bullockis also solid in her minor part. Finally, McConaughey is instantly likable, channeling a similar energy to the one he would later bring toThe Lincoln Lawyer. It all builds up to Jake’s masterful closing argument, which is worthy of the best legal films.
