---
title: "The Firm: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-firm/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-firm"
critics_score: 66
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Firm (1993): what the critics said

Critics' score 66 from 7 reviews: 4 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics find The Firm an absorbing, polished thriller, and the praise clusters around Sydney Pollack’s assured direction and the cast. Gene Hackman is singled out more than anyone, with Tom Cruise close behind, and several reviews point to the supporting performances as the film’s chief strength. The detail of life inside the law firm is noted as one of the things that keeps it watchable across a long running time.

The reservations are about length and weight. Even admirers call it overlong and the story slow to unfold, and Empire finds it overindulgent and forgettable despite working as pulpy entertainment. The sharpest dissent comes from Time Out, which faults Pollack for softening the novel’s conspiracy paranoia and reducing the Mob to ordinary goons. The spread is fairly wide, from warm approval to outright disappointment, though most land on the approving side.

## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 1993. 

Turan praises the film as a polished, exciting adaptation that improves on the novel while preserving its appeal. He singles out the exceptional supporting performances and Pollack’s subtle, assured direction.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-30-ca-8451-story.html)

## Radio Times — John Ferguson

Rating 4/5. 

Ferguson finds the lavish legal thriller engrossing, despite its sometimes overlong feel. He particularly praises Gene Hackman and Tom Cruise, while noting Hackman’s strong performance.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-wct7b2/the-firm/)

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Rating 3/4. 30 June 1993. 

Ebert finds the film an engaging thriller, though its story takes time to unfold. He singles out the details of life inside the law firm as a strength.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-firm-1993)

## Variety — Todd McCarthy

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 1993. 

McCarthy calls the film an absorbing, old-fashioned crowd-pleaser despite its disposable story. He praises Pollack’s polished direction and the convincing performances, especially those of Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/the-firm-3-1200432377/)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 1993. 

The article body is inaccessible, so its verdict and specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. The URL identifies a review of the 1993 film, but the page provides no review text.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/30/movies/review-film-the-firm-a-mole-in-the-den-of-corrupt-legal-lions.html)

## Empire — Matt Mueller

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Mueller finds the film overindulgent and forgettable, though it still works as pulpy entertainment. He singles out the supporting performances as its chief strength.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/firm-review/)

## Time Out — WH

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review is critical of Pollack’s conventional adaptation. It faults the film for softening the novel’s conspiracy-paranoia atmosphere and turning the Mob into ordinary goons.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-firm)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-firm.md