‘The Firm’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
December 11, 2018 · The Firm (1993) · Drama · Mystery · Thriller · 1:25:06 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsThe chase sequence when Mitch gets the warning call from Ed Harris to 'get out of there' and runs through the office, jumps onto a truck with pillows, gets on a tram, and is chased - the whole 15-minute escape sequence▶ 19:34
Chris RyanThe scene where Mitch guesses his salary and figures out how the firm recruited him by bribing a Harvard placement clerk▶ 20:57
Sean FennesseyThe Grand Cayman scene where Hackman and Cruise talk to Jerry Weintraub's character Sonny Capps, showing Mitch's skills as a lawyer▶ 21:50
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsTom Cruise gets the overbilling idea too easily from the guy they're overbilling, who just lays out the whole scheme, and Gene Hackman just rolls over when Jeanne Tripplehorn drugs him and he hears her on the phone - he's not mad at all▶ 45:52
Sean FennesseyThe actor who explains the overbilling scheme is weird and strange, looks like Eddie Murray the baseball player, and his performance is just living exposition▶ 46:07
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsDid Gene Hackman actually die in this movie, plus mentions having a very big unanswerable question▶ 46:43
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJason Patric — Discusses Jason Patrick turning down Mitch role, questions the Meryl Streep as Gene Hackman casting change, notes Robin Wright turned down Gene Tripplehorn's role, and mentions Halle Berry auditioned for the beach seduction role▶ 48:47
Chris RyanJason Patric — Comments on Jason Patrick's career misses, agrees Cruise was the biggest star at the time making $20 million, and discusses the casting timeline▶ 49:01
Sean FennesseyMeryl Streep — Opposes the Meryl Streep casting change, arguing Gene Hackman makes more sense because his character type can 'lure Mitch into his web' in a way that fits the story better▶ 50:14
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsJerry Hardin — Jerry Hardin (who plays Royce McKnight), with Hal Holbrook's character as runner-up▶ 1:00:02
Chris RyanJerry Hardin — Jerry Hardin - supports SPEAKER_00's choice and provides extensive filmography details▶ 1:00:08
Sean FennesseyAsks clarifying questions about the category definition but doesn't give a specific pick▶ 59:29
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsGene Hackman's name not on poster due to Tom Cruise's deal; book ending differs from movie; Jeanne Tripplehorn dated Ben Stiller 6 years; TV series 'The Firm' in 2012; Cayman Islands hotel was Hyatt Regency destroyed by Hurricane Ivan; Gene Hackman last movie 2004 'Welcome to Moose Port'; Hackman still alive at 88, rides electric bikes in New Mexico▶ 1:00:49
Chris RyanContributed guess that Hackman's last movie was 2009, noted Tarantino wanted Hackman for Jackie Brown role, made jokes about bicycling.com vs bison herding▶ 1:05:23
Sean FennesseyMade comparisons about credit negotiations, discussed Jeanne Tripplehorn's career and 90s appeal, shared story about Grantland accidentally making people think Gene Hackman died due to headline▶ 1:01:23
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsWilford Brimley — No for Tom Cruise, yes for Wilford Brimley, yes for Jeanne Tripplehorn, yes for Holly Hunter, yes for John Grisham▶ 1:07:31
Sean FennesseyWilford Brimley — No for Wilford Brimley (thinks Cocoon is more iconic), disagrees on Holly Hunter (thinks Broadcast News was her peak)▶ 1:07:46
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsMultiple quotes including 'it's amazing how much you miss the sky', 'what do you think I am the fucking night watchman', Brimley's Harvard/jail quote, and everything Ed Harris says especially his profanity-laden federal agent speech▶ 1:15:44
Movies Referenced (53)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 28:53 |
| A Few Good Men (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:23 |
| Eyes Wide Shut (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:04 |
| In the Name of the Father (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:31 |
| Jurassic Park (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 11:13 |
| Robin Hood (2010) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 9:31 |
| Alien (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 39:57 |
| All the President's Men (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:54 |
| Basic Instinct (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 15:29 |
| In the Line of Fire (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 14:35 |
| Miami Vice (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:17:48 |
| Oblivion (2013) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 39:52 |
Directors Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Fearless | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Lost in Space, Mission: Impossible - Fallout | ▶ 13:22 |
Actors Referenced (33)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Hunter | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Broadcast News | ▶ 11:31 |
| Wilford Brimley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Natural | ▶ 53:18 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 0:42 |
| Ed Harris | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Truman Show | ▶ 10:33 |
| Pete Postlethwaite | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | The Usual Suspects, The Town | ▶ 4:11 |
| Terry Kinney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Little Things | ▶ 36:59 |
| Emma Thompson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Sense and Sensibility, The Remains of the Day | ▶ 13:31 |
| Estel Tort | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | Barbie | ▶ 7:53 |
| Gary Busey | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Lethal Weapon, Point Break | ▶ 12:08 |
| Gene Hackman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The French Connection, The Royal Tenenbaums, Unforgiven | ▶ 4:16 |
| Jerry Weintraub | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | The Firm | ▶ 21:57 |
| Khurshed Lawyer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 7:53 |
Writers Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Grisham | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Runaway Jury, A Time to Kill | ▶ 10:44 |
| Andy Greenwald | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:44 | |
| David Rabe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Firm, Casualties of War | ▶ 4:35 |
| Robert Towne | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Chinatown, Mission: Impossible | ▶ 4:35 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 16:36 | |
| Tommy Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Vanilla Sky | ▶ 14:22 |
| William Goldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride | ▶ 1:20:41 |