John Grisham is one of the most overrated writers of all time!  With this being said, let me also state that the film version of "THE FIRM" is the best adaptation of any of his works so far!  It actually improves upon the text greatly!  Director Sydney Pollack is also on top of his game here!  At it's best, "THE FIRM" reminds viewers of his earlier work like "THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR".   Cruise stars as an idealistic young lawyer, whom believes he's made it to the big time, finding a job with a prestigious law firm that pays big!  The trouble begins when it becomes obvious that the firm's a front for the mob!  There's great suspense from beginning to end. 

The image to the transfer is 16:9 enhanced and nearly flawless! There's no grain, even in the darkest scenes.  Fleshtones are perfect!  There's great depth and clarity to every image, really coming in handy when we can view the wonderful location of the Grand Caymans with perfect resolution!   

The dolby digital 5.1 sound mix is terrific, although it boasts few "big" directional effects.  It simply adds to the film's suspense by providing a thoroughly realistic environment.  The typical sounds of a busy office or street corner become part of the listeners' environment here without calling too much attention to itself!  David Grusin's wonderful score is well constructed for the 5.1 soundstage!  The score utilizes nothing other than piano to generate suspense and it works without a hitch!

Director Robert Altman and screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury ingeniously weave together a narrative involving 24 major characters in the innovative film, "NASHVILLE".  The film is less about structure and plot, than about character.  Like his later masterpiece, "SHORT CUTS", "NASHVILLE" takes fragmented looks at the fragmented lives of its players.  Everyone is damaged!  While the film's setting is Tennessee, "NASHVILLE" really takes an epic-scale look at the entire country.  And while there's satire, it's also very dark, and very political! 

PARAMOUNT has gone all out for this release, taking the time to present it remastered in dolby digital 5.1 and with an anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer!

The image looks better than it did during its initial release!  While the colors are somewhat subdued and the image a little soft,  there's incredible detail here.  Contrast is generally quite good, with the exception of the darkest scenes.

The dolby digital 5.1 mix is a welcome addition to the release!  While there are no directional effects, it really adds a lot to the wonderful song selection.  Unfortunately, dialogue isn't well focused.

Altman provides a terrific running commentary that offers great insight into the film, and filmmaking in general, a must for any aspiring filmmaker!