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The Firm
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this legal drama features occasional moments of violence, with brief glimpses of gore. The show's plotting is very dense and swift, with a focus on criminals and their legal issues. Occasional language includes "hell" and "ass." The lead character's focus on doing good and helping others in spite of constant threats to his life and morality provides an worthwhile role model for mature viewers.
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What's the story?
Based on the 1991 John Grisham novel and its 1993 feature film adaptation, THE FIRM picks up attorney Mitch McDeere's (Josh Lucas) life 10 years after the events of the original story. With the help of his brother and his brother's girlfriend, he's established a new firm working out of a storefront and is attempting to put the past behind him. Although he's ensconced in the witness protection program, it soon becomes apparent that the crime family that pursued him a decade ago is back to threaten him and his loved ones. Mitch must deal with the day-to-day demands of his legal practice while keeping one eye over his shoulder for ghosts from his past.
Is it any good?
Though The Firm is packed with action, it tends to suffer from confusing plot mechanics and all-too-brief info dumps. The producers clearly believe that there's an audience out there that's intimately familiar with the details of a book and movie that came out many years ago. Unfortunately, they don't provide enough bread crumbs for more forgetful viewers to follow into the story.
Thankfully, The Firm is full of great acting by some underrated players -- two Battlestar Galactica vets, Tricia Helfer and Callum Keith Rennie, provide supporting roles. Juliette Lewis and Lucas also bring life to the proceedings. They all do the best with what they're given, and the show's episodes have their moments, but the unclear execution of the series' central storyline makes The Firm fall somewhat flat.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about what kind of messages The Firm sends to viewers. Is it easy to distinguish the heroes from the villains?
What's the appeal of legal dramas? What are some other genres that show up often in mainstream TV?
Do you think you could risk your life -- and the lives of your loved ones -- to do the right thing?
TV details
- Premiere date: January 8, 2012
- Cast: Callum Keith Rennie, Josh Lucas, Juliette Lewis
- Network: NBC
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- TV rating: TV-14
Themes & Topics
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.