My Rating: 3.76/4 (aka A fantastic double feature)

One line summary: Two John Grisham legal thrillers headlined by Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts, respectively.

The Deets: We recently rocked this double feature during a weekend, but you could totally do it in one day. You’ve got some heavy hitter directors here with Sydney Pollack (somehow an underrated director despite “Out of Africa” and “Tootsie”) and Alan Pakula (of “All the Presidents Men” fame), and then some serious acting star power – Cruise and Gene Hackman, and then the dynamic duo of Roberts and Denzel, who I think are phenomenal together. Interestingly, both movies were released in 1993, and they both clock in at around 140 minutes. To my mind, and yes I am a bit old school, they don’t make great, slow burn films like this anymore, and for obvious reasons. Could they be shorter? Of course, but much of the fun here is in the lead-in, and that they take their time. “The Firm” also crushes it with the supporting cast of Holly Hunter, David Strathairn, Ed Harris, and a dynamite cameo from Gary Busey; it also wins because the viewer doesn’t know the plan until it unfolds before us. I was surprised to see “The Pelican Brief” score much lower with critics, and I kind of get it – it’s a little more predictable; but I have a soft spot for Roberts’ quiet, vulnerable performance. Hard to believe these have aged more than thirty years – they still hold up.

Perfect for: If you like to watch Cruise, Roberts, or Denzel, and if you’re a fan of the Grisham books adapted to film. These are two of the best ones, in addition to “A Time to Kill” and “Runaway Jury.”

Where to watch: You can get both of these on most streaming services but you’ll probably have to pay to rent them. IMO it’s worth it.

Food pairing: You need to go with a multi-course situation here, with some Asian takeout and then popcorn for dessert.