My first inkling that something extraordinary might be happening with the film occurred when I visited the set in Charleston, South Carolina. Usually, when I go to the set, I'm able to watch them film a couple of scenes, and have a chance to meet the actors and actresses. That day was no different, but the photographer happened to have an album already compiled of the shots he'd taken during filming. (Most major films have a photographer present every day.) When I glanced through the pictures, I was struck by how beautiful every scene looked, everything from the settings, to the costumes, to the expressions on Rachel's and Ryan's faces. The photos made the movie look glamorous in a way that I hadn't seen in cinemas in years, and I remember talking with my wife about it on the trip back home.
Usually, I see the film prior to the premiere, sometimes once or twice. When I saw the firm for the first time, I was drawn into the story immediately and simply amazed by the performances. Nick Cassavetes deserves all the credit for making the film as wonderful as it was; he had a specific vision and saw that vision through to the end, and the final result was what many consider to be the finest film adaptation of any of my novels. It goes without saying that I loved it.
