History Film / TheFirm

* {{Rewrite}}: In the movie, Mitch and Abby get to drive away from the firm (and Memphis) [[spoiler:without exposing the firm's ties to organized crime.]] In the novel, [[spoiler:after Mitch ''does expose'' the firm's ties to the mob,]] they get to spend their lives in exile sailing a yacht around the Caribbean.

* BetrayalInsurance: 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.

* DidNotSeeThatComing: In the film, neither the firm nor the Morolatos expected Mitch to take down the Firm with Mail Fraud. When Mitch has Dutch unlock the door to the Office Manager's office to examine their bills before they open, he's not the least bit suspicious and doesn't report it. When they start shredding, they end up shredding the wrong files. When Mitch explains to the Moralto brothers that the firm has been over-billing their clients, they're quite surprised that he's actually planning to get them off the hook in return for his life.

*** It does end up causing a major shake-up in [=McDeere=]'s escape plans and they end up with both the mob and the FBI on their tails.

* SpannerInTheWorks: The prison guard at Ray's prison is on the Firm's payroll. He notices something is wrong when Ray is taken away without being cuffed and with no return date. So he sends an unauthorized fax to the Firm. However this ends up being a spanner for both sides as:
** While the fax ends up being received successfully and prints out, it then falls and rolls underneath the fax machine; which saves the protagonists and gives them more time.
** That is until [=DeVasher=] checks the machine when it beeps and berates his staff for not realizing the unit is out of paper. Then he notices the curled up fax on the floor, picks it up, reads it and starts hunting for Mitch.
** At about the same time, the Warden at the prison contacts Terrance about the fax and manages to warn Mitch; enabling him to escape just in time.

** In the book, the Moroltos mislead the authorities into thinking the [=McDeeres=] had switched vehicles and moved inland. This ends their dragnet in Panama City Beach and leaves their group free to search for them. All it does it make it easier for the [=McDeeres=] to slip away since they now had only one group do deal with. They also end up spreading themselves thin since attract unwanted attention from the remaining cops during their door-to-door search. By the time the [=McDeeres=] leave, they're working alone, hot, weary and lulled into boredom.

** In the book, the Moroltos mislead the authorities into thinking the [=McDeeres=] had switched vehicles and moved inland. This ends their dragnet in Panama City Beach and leaves their group free to search for them. All it does it make it easier for the [=McDeeres=] to slip away since they now had only one group do deal with. They also end up spreading themselves thin since they end up attracting unwanted attention from the remaining cops during their search. By the time the [=McDeeres=] leave, they're mostly working alone, hot, weary and lulled into boredom.

* DidNotSeeThatComing: In the film, neither the firm nor the Morolatos expected Mitch to take down the Firm with Mail Fraud. When Mitch has Dutch unlock the door to the Office Manager's office to examine their bills before they open, he's not the least bit suspicious and doesn't report it. After they realize that Mitch has been talking to the Feds, they start shredding files, but not their bills. When Mitch explains to the Moralto brothers that the firm has been over-billing their clients, they're quite surprised that he's actually planning to get them off the hook in return for his life.

* DidNotSeeThatComing: In the film, neither the firm nor the Morolatos expected Mitch to take down the Firm with Mail Fraud. When Mitch has Dutch unlock the door to the Office Manager's office to examine their bills before they open, he's not the least bit suspicious and doesn't report it. When Mitch explains to the Moralto brothers that the firm has been over-billing their clients, they're quite surprised that he's actually planning to get them off the hook in return for his life.

* 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 let Mitch go after Mitch explains how and why his approach works, Tarrance does so begrudgingly and without even a word of thanks. Though he is a bit amused--even impressed--and asks:

** In the book, the Moroltos mislead the authorities into thinking the [=McDeeres=] had switched vehicles and moved inland and end their dragnet in Panama City Beach, which would leave them free to search for them. All it does it make it easier for the [=McDeeres=] to slip away since they now had only one group do deal with. They also end up spreading themselves thin since they end up attracting unwanted attention from the remaining cops during their search.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Throughout the film, everyone jokes to Mitch about his absurdly high bar exam score. This comes back to bite them in the ass when they inadvertantly give Mitch the idea he needs to take down the firm.

** Mitch picking Panama City Beach for the three to hide in counts as it's a large tourist town with numerous cheap hotels where they can pay cash, use fake names and lay low. When the mob starts looking for them, they only end up drawing attention from the police which forces them to spread themselves thin.

* CrazyPrepared: Crossing over with ProperlyParanoid, Mitch is able to stay ahead of everyone with various contingencies, plans and code names.

** Mitch picking Perdido Beach for the three to hide in counts as it's a large tourist town with numerous cheap hotels where they can pay cash, use fake names and lay low. When the mob starts looking for them, they only end up drawing attention from the police which forces them to spread themselves thin.

** Also in the book, he deliberately let his bugged BMW stolen so he could rent a car and then deliberately chooses a color for his new BMW that would have to be special-ordered. When he runs, he just leaves the rental in the Firm's parking lot, which amuses Lazarov when he finds out.

* CrazyPrepared: Crossing over with ProperlyParanoid, Mitch is able to stay ahead of everyone with various contingencies, plans and code names. ** In the book, Terrance gives him a "don't ask questions, just run" alert by calling the Firm and using the name "Judge Henry Hugo" which allows him to just walk (actually run) out the front door.

* CrazyPrepared: Crossing over with ProperlyParanoid, Mitch is able to stay ahead of everyone with various contingencies, plans and code names. In the book, Terrance gives him a "don't ask questions, just run" alert by calling the Firm and using the name "Judge Hugo" which allows him to just walk (actually run) out the front door. In the film, Mitch escapes the Firm's building by going to a office that faces the alley, breaking out a window and jumping into the back of a cotton truck parked in the alley instead of facing armed security guards at the front door.

* SpannerInTheWorks: The prison guard at Ray's prison is on the Firm's payroll. Notices something's wrong when Ray is taken away without being cuffed and with no return date. So he sends an unauthorized fax to the Firm. However this ends up being a spanner for both sides as:

** That is until [=DeVasher=] checks the machine when it beeps, berates his staff for not realizing the unit is out of paper. Then he notices the curled up fax on the floor, picks it up, reads it and starts hunting for Mitch.
** At about the same time, the Warden at the prison contacts Terrance about the fax and manages to warn Mitch enabling him to escape just in time.

* 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 let Mitch go after Mitch explains how and why his approach works, Tarrance does so begrudgingly and without even a word of thanks.

** That is until DeVasher checks the machine when it beeps, berates his staff for not realizing the unit is out of paper, then notices the curled up fax on the floor, picks it up, reads it and starts hunting for Mitch.

* 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.

** Also noteworthy is that Mitch isn't in on the conspiracy, is working for legitimate clients and only ''suspects'' something is seriously wrong when the FBI approaches him. Which introduces another plot hole: stealing records from his law firm at the direction (actually threat of prosecution) of the FBI makes those records, and any searches or seizures that result, inadmissible in court as Mitch was acting as an agent of the police.

** To anyone who understands Attorney–Client Privilege, this is a potential plot hole. The privilege is void in cases where the attorney and client are engaged in a criminal conspiracy. Which is definitely the case with the two lawyers that are killed (See ThrownFromTheZepplin) as they did speak to the FBI (in the book and implied in the film).
** Also noteworthy is that Mitch isn't in on the conspiracy, is working for legitimate clients and only ''suspects'' something is seriously wrong when the FBI approaches him. Which introduces another plot hole: stealing records from his law firm at the direction (actually threat) of the FBI makes those records and any searches or seizures that result would make them inadmissible in court as Mitch was acting as an agent of the police.

** 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.

[[caption-width-right:295:"[[ShoutOut They made him an offer he]] ''[[Film/TheGodfather should have]]'' [[Film/TheGodfather refused.]]"]]

* BoringButPractical: This is how Mitch describes his proposal to charge the firm with overbilling rather than aiding and abetting organized crime; "It's not sexy but it's got teeth," he says.

* 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 then switches to an arrogant jerk who boldly tries to intimidate him and his wife.
* JusticeByOtherLegalMeans: Mitch successfully ensnares the firm by using lawyer-client privilege to reach an agreement with the Morolto mob while proving every legal partner was guilty of overbilling their clients, thus allowing him to keep his status as a lawyer.
--> '''Mitch''': It's [[BoringButPractical not sexy, but it's got teeth!]] Ten thousand dollars and five years in prison. That's ten and five for each act. Have you really looked at that? You've got every partner in the firm on overbilling. There's two hundred-fifty acts of documented mail fraud there. That's racketeering! That's ''minimum:'' 1250 years in prison and half a million dollars in fines. That's more than you had on [[UsefulNotes/AlCapone Capone]].

--> '''Mitch''': It's [[BoringYetPractical not sexy, but it's got teeth!]] Ten thousand dollars and five years in prison. That's ten and five for each act. Have you really looked at that? You've got every partner in the firm on overbilling. There's two hundred-fifty acts of documented mail fraud there. That's racketeering! That's ''minimum:'' 1250 years in prison and half a million dollars in fines. That's more than you had on [[UsefulNotes/AlCapone Capone]].

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.

* 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 effective his approach actually will be in the long run, Tarrance does so begrudgingly and without even a word of thanks.