History Film / TheFirm

* UngratefulBastard: Tarrance, at the end - Mitch has given him enough to sink Bendini, Lambert and Locke utterly. And Mitch is correct that the mob can only launder their money via washing machine without lawyers - and while the mob might find replacements, there will be fewer takers after the downfall of Bendini, Lambert and Locke. And these things don't happen immediately - giving the FBI a small window in which to get the mob for tax evasion/avoidance if they put a foot wrong absent of lawyer assistance. And the arrested lawyers might talk, because disbarment is preferable to dying in prison (of old age, or of the mob taking revenge for being overcharged, or of the mob ensuring their silence). Despite all this, Tarrance still screams at Mitch for not doing things exactly as he demanded, and while he does finally decide to let Mitch go after Mitch explains how beneficial his approach actually will be in the long run, Tarrance does so begrudgingly and without even a word of thanks.

* XanatosGambit: Mitch pulls off a beautiful one by the film's climax, by [[spoiler: giving the FBI enough evidence to bury the firm in thousands of years of incarceration and millions in fines, while convincing the Moroltos that he will not disclose any information he has while he is alive, and implies that his death would lead to their own destruction with full disclosure of everything to the FBI.]]

* UngratefulBastard: Tarrance, at the end - Mitch has given him enough to sink Bendini, Lambert and Locke utterly. And Mitch is correct that the mob can only launder their money via washing machine without lawyers - and while the mob might find replacements, there will be fewer takers after the downfall of Bendini, Lambert and Locke. And these things don't happen immediately - giving the FBI a small window in which to get the mob for tax evasion/avoidance if they put a foot wrong absent of lawyer assistance. And the arrested lawyers might talk, because disbarment is preferable to dying in prison (of old age, or of the mob taking revenge for being overcharged, or of the mob ensuring their silence).
* UnresolvedSexualTension: Mitch and Tammy.

* JerkAss: FBI Agent Wayne Tarrance is cordial to a point with Mitch... until Mitch decides he doesn't want to play ball with the FBI if he's going to be disbarred. Tarrance switches to a arrogant jerk who boldly tries to intimidate him and his wife.

* DeadMansSwitch: When Mitch assures the mob that their secrets are safe, he also issues a veiled threat by letting them know that he knows all their dealings (purely to better serve them as their attorney, of course) and that he's made copies. But don't worry, he is bound to respect attorney-client confidentiality for as long as he lives -- emphasis on ''lives''.

* DeadMansSwitch: When Mitch assures the mob that their secrets are safe, he also issues a veiled threat by letting them know that he knows all their dealings (purely to better serve them as their attorney, of course) and that he's made copies. But don't worry, he is bound to respect attorney-client confidentiality for as long as he lives -- emphasis on ''lives''.* EarnYourFun: The firm makes Mitch deduce what his job offer entails by getting him to ask courtroom-style questions to the firm's hiring managers.

* BetrayalInsurance: When Mitch assures the mob that their secrets are safe, he also issues a veiled threat by letting them know that he knows all their dealings (purely to better serve them as their attorney, of course) and that he's made copies. But don't worry, he is bound to respect attorney-client confidentiality for as long as he lives -- emphasis on ''lives''.
** The firm arranges for Mitch to cheat on Abigail, photographs it, and then let's him know they've got this. They don't even suspect him of being an informant yet. This is standard procedure for the firm.

* EarnYourFun: The firm makes Mitch deduce what his job offer entails by getting him to ask courtroom-style questions to the firm's hiring managers.

* AffablyEvil: The entire firm throughout most of the film, and especially Avery Tolar.

* BaitandSwitch: The firm's leadership stand in a room looking very displeased with Mitch like he might be their next victim, only to inform him that he didn't get the highest score on the Bar exam - he got the second highest.

* {{Greed}}: What does Bendini, Lambert and Locke in at the end - if they'd just charged for what they actually did and taken their already massive revenue and profits from their Mob dealings, Mitch would likely have had to choose between disbarment (co-operating with the FBI) or potential prison time later (using his tape of Tarrance to get the FBI off his back). But thanks to their overbilling, not only could be TakeAThirdOption, but presumably the mob isn't happy about being ripped off by their (now ex) lawyers.

* Greed: What does Bendini, Lambert and Locke in at the end - if they'd just taken their already massive revenue and profits from their Mob dealings, Mitch would likely have had to choose between disbarment (co-operating with the FBI) or potential prison time later (using his tape of Tarrance to get the FBI off his back). But thanks to their overbilling, not only could be TakeAThirdOption, but presumably the mob isn't happy about being ripped off by their (now ex) lawyers.

* FailedaSpotCheck: Subverted. The FBI walks Mitch's brother out the front door of prison without any paperwork and a guard on the firm's payroll alerts them immediately.

* Foreshadowing:

* EarnYourFun: the firm makes Mitch deduce what his job offer entails by getting him to ask courtroom-style questions to the firm's hiring managers.

* YourCheatingHeart: Mitch has a one-night stand with a young woman while on vacation, which prompts the firm (who orchestrated the whole setup in the first place) to use it as leverage to keep it quiet. Unlike the novel, however, Mitch immediately tells his wife what happened, and they resolve to work through their personal issues later.

Mitch [=McDeere=] (Cruise) is a recent Harvard Law graduate who is offered a prestigious position as a litigator at the law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke, headed by co-founder Oliver Lambert (Creator/HalHolbrook), and soon finds himself showered with gifts, money and a new car. At the same time, he strikes up a friendship with senior partner Avery Tolar (Creator/GeneHackman) and begins to learn the ins and outs of the law field. Mitch and his wife Abby (Jeanne Tripplehorn) are living the good life - until two associates who worked with the firm are mysteriously murdered. Unaware of what's going on, Mitch is contacted by the FBI, headed by Agent Wayne Tarrance (Creator/EdHarris), and told that the firm is a corrupt group of lawyers with [[AmoralAttorney massive influence]] and connections to the [[TheMafia mob]]. Faced with the prospect of losing his career and his wife, and with more people being murdered, Mitch realizes the only way he'll get out alive is to follow his own plan.

--->'''Agent Wayne Tarrance''': Who gives a fuck? I'm a federal agent! You know what that means, you lowlife motherfucker? It means you've got no rights, your life is mine! I could kick your teeth down your throat and yank 'em out your asshole, and I'm not even violating your civil rights!

* JusticeByOtherLegalMeans: Mitch successfully ensnares the firm by using lawyer-client privilege to reach an agreement with the Moralto mob while proving every legal partner was guilty of overbilling their clients, thus allowing him to keep his status as a lawyer.

* ToBeLawfulOrGood: The main conflict Mitch faces in the last half of the film - if he takes down the firm, he loses his licence to practice law. Mitch TakesAThirdOption, and drives a wedge between the firm and the mob to get out unscathed and protect his career.
** To anyone who understands Attorney Client Privilege, this is a plot hole. The privilege is void in cases where the attorney and client are engaged in a criminal conspiracy.

* XanatosGambit: Mitch pulls off a beautiful one by the film's climax, by [[spoiler: giving the FBI enough evidence to bury the firm in thousands of years of incarceration and millions in fines, while convincing the Moraltos that he cannot disclose any information he has while he is alive, and implies that his death would lead to their own destruction with full disclosure of everything to the FBI.]]

* NoEscapeButDown: Mitch has nowhere to go when he attempts to flee the firm's offices, so he breaks a window and leaps several stories down onto a flatbed truck filled with bales of wool.

* BaldOfEvil: Wayne Tarrance, arguably. He's an FBIAgent, but he's such an utter asshole (his "I could kick your teeth down your throat and yank 'em out your asshole, and I'm not even violating your civil rights!" rant is a perfect example of a RabidCop at work) willing to force Mitch into a position where he will be inevitably killed in order to get evidence on the firm's (and hopefully its unlawful clients') actions that "WellIntentionedExtremist" doesn't really fits.