In The Client, Brad Renfro burst onto the scene with quite a good performance. I mean he was only 12, and he could have been excused for just about anything. In reality he did well. The years haven't been particularly kind to his acting career.
Teaming up with Nick Stahl (post-Sunset Strip, pre-Carnivale), they wander through South Florida in this teen movie where Bobby (played by Stahl) regularly beats up on everyone, but most notably "best friend" Marty (played by Renfro).
Generally this is taken in stride, but then Lisa, Marty's new - and pregnant - girlfriend has had enough and when her friend Ali is raped by Bobby, it's just too much, so they start to plan Bobby's death.
The first problem is that they tell nearly everyone they see. It's odd to see them discuss killing someone with such utter contempt. One by one they drag one friend after another into the plot and eventually there are six of them who take Bobby out and do him in.
At the end, they are all sentenced to jail time for their involvement, even though not all of them actually had a hand in the killing itself. Only Marty is sentenced to death. The story is at least based on a true story, though how true the movie itself is may be up for some debate.
Rated R for strong violence, sexual content, drug use and language - all involving teens.
Comments