MovieChat Forums > The Firm (1993) Discussion > The "random" backflips

The "random" backflips

posted 9 years ago by Sadiddy
11 replies | jump to latest

I see people talk about this a lot. Near the beginning of the film when Mitch and Abby are visiting Memphis, Mitch does backflips with some kid. I've seen people say it's completely random and pointless. I disagree. It's to show that Mitch is athletic. It makes the chase and some of the stunts he pulls at the end of the film more believable.

People have too much time on their hands. 
https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/the-firm-on-netflix-weird-tom-cruise-moments

[–] Totemkauf 9 years ago

I think it also shows how stressed out he is after leaving the club when he walks by the same kid again and doesn't even acknowledge him or tip him.

[–] ipull4usc 9 years ago

The backflips were undeniably preposterous. There are other ways to illustrate your protagonist is athletic. Additionally, there are other ways to show that your protagonist is stressed out rather than showing him walking by the street performer he randomly did backflips with and not tipping him. Just typing that sentence makes me realize how truly laughable it all was.

[–] Karl Aksel 9 years ago

There's always a better way of doing anything. The backflips - and the subsequent walking past without acknowledging the same kid later on - were no more ridiculous than any other alternative. And it did make the athletic performances towards the end more believable.

What I reacted to was the fact that he didn't tip the kid the first time around, either.

[–] Stratego (31075) 6 years ago

"The backflips were undeniably preposterous. There are other ways to illustrate your protagonist is athletic. Additionally, there are other ways to show that your protagonist is stressed out rather than showing him walking by the street performer he randomly did backflips with and not tipping him. Just typing that sentence makes me realize how truly laughable it all was."

I agree with every word!

And how would showing him to be athletic by doing some kind of sport or running or training be more ridiculous than the above scenario?!

[–] Captain_Bob 9 years ago

Tom Cruise routinely needs to be awesome in his movies and so be it. To his credit he did/does many of his own stunts in the Mission Impossible franchise. Other movies he often masters some sort of specific skill and/or obtains superiority. Let's see: Top Gun, The Color of Money, Cocktail, Days of Thunder, Far and Away, The Last Samurai, Rock of Ages, etc. So of course he could randomly do a few athletic backflips in 1993 (seriously though, was it him or a stunt double?) also five years ago a record lap time on Top Gear ;-)
https://youtu.be/qexo0eI3eE4

[–] jmillerdp 9 years ago

It could have been a stunt double, though. The camera cuts after Cruise does the first cycle, and you don't see his face again until he finishes.

I. Drink. Your. Milkshake! [slurp!] I DRINK IT UP! - Daniel Plainview - There Will Be Blood

[–] Hanz-Willhelm2 9 years ago

OT but I visited Memphis in 1993 and I saw some kid doing back flips on that street. It may have been the same kid, I don't know if there was just the one for if several different kids did that.

Was ist der Sinn des Lebens?

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] omni29 8 years ago

Seriously does anyone know if he did the back flips . When it comes to Tom nothing surprises me.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Wasn’t that just a cheesy metaphor? When he does backflips with the kid, he is an optimistic young law grad being wooed by a rich firm. Later when he is aware that he’s working in the midst of FBI, mob hitmen, and money laundering lawyers, he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, has less spring in his step...

[–] Iconoclast321 (429) 2 months ago

Agreed - it illustrated that nicely. And I don't think he did his own flips, btw. If he did, he'd insist on no cut, to show that it was him and not a double.