Flickering Myth’s Casey Chong takes a trip back to the 1990s for a selection of must-see legal thrillers…
There was a time when legal thrillers were like the coolest kid on the block: the 1990s. Best described as the golden era for this genre, it left an indelible mark with its thrilling combination of an often star-studded cast, courtroom drama, and high-stakes legal procedural, appealing to both fans of the genre and even mainstream audiences, with movies taking on topical subject matters related to government conspiracy, racial prejudice, and corporate intrigue. From John Grisham’s bestsellers-turned-film adaptations and beyond, here are ten must-see legal thrillers of the 1990s…
Guilty as Sin (1993)
What if the client that you choose to defend may turn out to be a serial killer? That’s the premise coming from Larry Cohen, the screenwriter behind some of the cult classics such as Q – The Winged Serpent, The Stuff and Maniac Cop. Under the sure-handed direction of Sidney Lumet, no stranger to the legal genre, the movie stars Rebecca De Mornay as the top Chicago criminal defense attorney Jennifer Haines. She reluctantly takes on the case of a prime suspect and ladies’ man, David Greenhill (Don Johnson), for murdering his own wife.
The highlight of the movie lies in the cat-and-mouse game of manipulation between the two leads, with Johnson’s David Greenhill methodically using his sleazy charm and gaslighting technique to push De Mornay’s otherwise confident attorney character into a vulnerable position both personally and professionally.
A year after De Mornay excelled in her memorable nanny-from-hell role in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, she continued to prove her captivating acting prowess in Guilty as Sin, bringing a mix of sass and vulnerability to her attorney role. Johnson nearly steals the show as the womanizer that the audience would love to hate – for a good reason, that is – without succumbing too much to chewing the scenery.
Class Action (1991)
Class Action may have been a modest box office success, but it was largely forgotten by the general public, especially when compared to more prominent legal thrillers during the same decade. Frankly, Michael Apted’s movie, which mixes courtroom thriller and family drama, is best described as an above-average effort, thanks to top-notch performances from Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.
The movie adds personal stakes by making their characters father and daughter, both competing lawyers who don’t see eye to eye in taking a major case revolving around the car victims’ injuries due to the faulty vehicles produced by the same automobile manufacturer. The combination of verbal gymnastics and dramatic tension during the courtroom scenes, coupled with the estranged father-daughter dynamic, is the highlight here, even though the movie tends to get melodramatic in places.
The Pelican Brief (1993)
1993 was a banner year for John Grisham, whose two novels were adapted to successful box office results. The Pelican Brief was released a few months later after The Firm, and like the former, this dramatic thriller isn’t interested in the typical courtroom action, other than delving into the complexity of a legal procedural with elements of conspiracy and chase thrillers.
Given the fact that Alan J. Pakula is calling the shots here, he is certainly the right man for the job. The 141-minute runtime could have used a tighter editing here, where the pace tends to lag every now and then. But it’s pretty much a thrilling entertainment with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington pairing well as law student Darby Shaw and news reporter Gray Grantham working together to uncover the conspiracy behind the murders of two Supreme Court justices.
Presumed Innocent (1990)
Long before Jake Gyllenhaal starred in Apple TV+’s eight-part miniseries Presumed Innocent in 2024, Scott Turow’s 1987 novel of the same name first made its mark in 1990 under the direction of Alan J. Pakula, with Harrison Ford headlining as Rusty Sabich. He’s a prosecutor assigned to a case of the heinous rape and murder of Carolyn Polhemus (Greta Scacchi), who is also his colleague and an ex-lover. Things get complicated when Sabich ends up being the one who is accused of murdering Carolyn.
The movie is notable for showcasing Ford in one of his best dramatic performances at the height of his career, playing a conflicted prosecutor who is saddled by the overwhelming guilt for cheating on his wife (Bonnie Bedelia). He is equally backed by a great supporting cast all around, coupled with tense courtroom scenes and riveting character-driven drama, while keeping us on the edge with the guess-the-killer mystery angle right until the end. Presumed Innocent proved to be a big hit at the time, grossing an astronomical $221 million worldwide on a reported $20 million budget.
The Client (1994)
The first of the two John Grisham-based legal thrillers under the direction of Joel Schumacher features excellent performances from the three principal actors, beginning with Brad Renfro’s engaging turn as Mark Sway. He plays the young boy who has unfortunately witnessed the suicide of a mob lawyer, and the fact that he learns some vital information regarding the high-profile disappearance of a politician makes him a mob target.
Enter Reggie Love, played by the feisty Susan Sarandon in her Oscar-nominated performance, the lawyer who’s willing to take on a case, despite her competitor being the highly acclaimed and politically motivated U.S. Attorney “Reverend Roy”. The latter is none other than Tommy Lee Jones, who brings a cocky charm to his attorney role. Schumacher’s assured direction keeps the pace steady right from the get-go, incorporating the right mix of suspense, drama and some levity into the movie. The Client did well at the box office during the crowded summer-movie season, grossing over $117 million worldwide on a $45 million budget.
The Firm (1993)
The Firm famously kick-started the 1990s legal thriller boom, thanks to author John Grisham’s 1991 novel of the same name. His name has since become synonymous with star power and compelling stories that blend courtroom action, legal procedural and sociopolitical themes. Casting Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, a bright Harvard Law School graduate who ends up being handpicked by the prestigious titular law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke, is the kind of role he was born to play. A young and cocky hotshot character, to be precise, which becomes his acting trademark at the time.
Directed by Sydney Pollack, the movie may have been overlong in some parts, but the veteran director managed to keep the story mostly engaging by covering Mitch’s professional and personal struggles, as well as the underlying conspiracy within the law firm. The Firm also features strong supporting turns from Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter and Jeanne Tripplehorn. Interestingly, the movie doesn’t feature a courtroom scene since it was predominantly a mix of procedural-style mystery drama and chase thriller.
A huge hit at the time of its release, grossing over $270 million worldwide on a $42 million budget, The Firm even scored two Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Holly Hunter and Best Original Score.
The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Here’s an interesting hybrid that takes the typical courtroom movie to the next level. And that is, mixing it with the supernatural horror genre as Taylor Hackford’s wickedly entertaining 1997 box-office hit follows a bright young lawyer, played by Keanu Reeves, who is given the opportunity of a lifetime to work for a prestigious New York City law firm. That firm in question is run by John Milton (Al Pacino), whose charisma lies a dark, hidden truth that is gradually revealed in the movie’s twisted finale.
Reeves made the right choice to turn down a role in the ill-fated Speed 2: Cruise Control for this, which allowed him to stretch his acting in a more dramatic role. His overly confident, yet naïve lawyer role contrasts well with Pacino’s Milton’s manipulative character. The latter is a showstopper, bringing his usual theatrics that are synonymous with Pacino’s style of acting. His role may have grown over the top as the movie lays out all the cards, but it’s hard to deny that Pacino has a field day playing the role with compelling results.
A Few Good Men (1992)
A Few Good Men is famously immortalized by Colonel Nathan R. Jessup’s iconic “You can’t handle the truth!” line during his memorable verbal exchange with Tom Cruise’s military lawyer, Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, in court. The story follows the death of Private First Class William Santiago (Michael DeLorenzo) at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, with two Marines (Wolfgang Bodison and James Marshall) being accused of murder. The aforementioned lieutenant is assigned to take on the defense case with the help of his superior, Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway (Demi Moore) and colleague Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak).
Adapted from the 1989 play of the same name, playwright and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin himself turns the legal thriller-drama into a tense narrative playground filled with sharp and even witty dialogue. Tom Cruise’s young hotshot lawyer role is right in his wheelhouse, and he pairs well with the no-nonsense Demi Moore, while Nicholson steals most of the show in this 1992 box-office hit. Credit also goes to Rob Reiner, a director crossing over different genres from the mockumentary (1984’s This Is Spinal Tap) to coming-of-age drama (1986’s Stand by Me) and psychological thriller (1990’s Misery), proving his worth as a versatile filmmaker who knows a thing or two about blending courtroom thriller and military drama.
Primal Fear (1996)
This is the movie that famously served as a breakthrough for Edward Norton, playing the 19-year-old altar boy accused of murdering the beloved archbishop in cold blood. His sneaky transformation from a docile and stuttering murder suspect, Aaron, to a volatile Roy as a result of his split personality disorder showcases Norton’s chameleon-like acting. Even to the extent of stealing the show from Richard Gere’s Martin Vail, who plays the confident defense attorney taking on the challenge to defend him. That’s not to say Gere is completely overshadowed by Norton, as the actor also delivers a typically charismatic and engaging performance to his role.
Interestingly, Primal Fear marks the feature-length directorial debut of Gregory Hoblit, who cut his teeth helming several TV episodes like L.A. Law and NYPD Blue, and he has a flair for blending gripping character-driven psychological drama with the thrills of a legal procedural. Primal Fear made its mark as a box-office hit and even earned Norton a much-deserved Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category.
A Time to Kill (1996)
Clocking in at a mammoth 149-minute runtime, Joel Schumacher’s second go-round on another John Grisham legal thriller novel, which also turns out to be the author’s debut, may have been strained by some pacing issues. But beyond that, A Time to Kill remains one of the best John Grisham adaptations ever made and even made the top spot in our list.
The reasons? The acting is incredible, starting with Matthew McConaughey’s breakthrough role as the Southern attorney taking the risk of defending the black factory mill worker Carl Lee Hailey (a sympathetic Samuel L. Jackson), who is charged with gunning down the two white rapists in front of the courthouse. The rapists in question have sexually assaulted Carl’s little daughter while she’s on her way home carrying groceries.
The movie still resonates even today, thanks to the powerful yet thought-provoking themes of racism, injustice and moral intricacy of the U.S. legal system. Schumacher brings a subtle touch to his direction, balancing between the dramatic underpinning of its combined subject matters and the courtroom thrills without resorting to over-the-top histrionics. A Time to Kill was a bigger hit compared to Schumacher’s The Client, bringing in $152 million worldwide on a $40 million budget.
What are your favourite legal thrillers of the 1990s? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
