History YMMV / TheFirm

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Inverted. Many believe the movie is superior to the book. In the book, Mitch is very unsympathetic and every bit as corrupt as the firm, Avery is an outright villain, and the incredibly elaborate set-up turns out to be nothing but Mitch doing what he could have done in the first place. In the movie, Mitch is much more sympathetic, Avery is a sympathetic Punch-Clock Villain, and the elaborate plan results in Mitch bringing down the firm which controlled him, legally protecting his clients (the mob) so he can keep his law license and end up on the right side with the mob, and concludes with him getting his life back to pursue new options.

* HilariousInHindsight: Mitch hides from [[ProfessionalKiller The Nordic Man]] by climbing into the rafters. As he hides, beads of sweat drop from his face onto the floor in a way that's strangely prophetic of ''Film/MissionImpossible''.

* AcceptableProfessionalTargets: Almost every lawyer aside from Mitch is made out to be a complete villain at worst and a PunchClockVillain at best.

* IdiotPlot: The premise of the TV series is based around the fact that Mitch and his family leave the Witness Protection Program after a decade to "get their lives" back... and they immediately step into a situation that threatens their lives (the son of one of the parties locked up in the film puts a contract out on Mitch). Better yet, they switch back to their normal names after living under assumed identities for the last decade, which just puts a giant target on their backs.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Averted. Many believe the movie is superior to the book. In the book Mitch is very unsympathetic and every bit as corrupt as the firm. Avery is an outright villain. And the incredibly elaborate set-up turns out to be nothing but Mitch doing what he could have done in the first place. In the movie Mitch is very sympathetic. Avery is a sympathetic Punch-Clock Villain. And the elaborate plan results in Mitch bringing down the firm which controlled him, legally protecting his clients (the mob) so he can keep his law license and end up on the right side with the mob. And he gets his life back to pursue new options.
* WhatAnIdiot: The premise of the TV series is based around the fact that Mitch and his family leave the Witness Protection Program after a decade to "get their lives" back... and they immediately step into a situation that threatens their lives (the son of one of the parties locked up in the film puts a contract out on Mitch). Better yet, they switch back to their normal names after living under assumed identities for the last decade, which just puts a giant target on their backs.

** Along with a bit of SocietyMarchesOn : Hearing Mitch's mortgage terms, after the real estate collapses in the late 90s. A thirty-year mortgage at ten per cent? Terrible! Yet when the book came out, it was considered a good deal.

** Creator/DeanNorris is one of the {{Mooks}} chasing Mitch near the end (along with [[Film/{{Saw}} Jigsaw]]).

* WhatAnIdiot: The premise of the TV series is based around the fact that Mitch and his family leave the Witness Protection Program after a decade to "get their lives" back... and they immediately step into a situation that threatens their lives (the son of one of the parties locked up in the film puts a contract out on Mitch). Better yet, they switch back to their normal names after living under assumed identities for the last decade, which just puts a giant target on their backs.

** Hal Holbrook, known for portraying Deep Throat in ''Film/AllThePresidentsMen'', stars alongside Jerry Hardin, who would soon be known for portraying Deep Throat on ''Series/TheXFiles''.

* They changed it, now it sucks: Averted. Many believe the movie is superior to the book. In the book Mitch is very unsympathetic and every bit as corrupt as the firm. Avery is an outright villain. And the incredibly ellaborate setup turns out to be nothing but Mitch doing what he could've done in the first place. In the movie Mitch is very sympathetic. Avery is a sympathetic Punch-Clock Villain. And the ellaborate plan results in Mitch bringing down the firm which controlled him. Legally protecting his clients (the mob) so he keeps his law license and also is on the right side with the mob. And he gets his life back to pursue new options.