JUROR#2
(director: Clint Eastwood; screenwriter: Jonathan Abrams; cinematographer: Yves Belanger; editors: David Cox, Joel Cox; music: Mark Mancina; cast: Nicholas Hoult (Justin Kemp), Toni Collette (Faith Killibrew, prosecutor), J.K. Simmons (Harold, former cop), Zoey Deutch (Allison Crewson), Kiefer Sutherland (Larry Lasker), Chris Messina (Eric Resnick, public defender), Gabriel Basso (James Michael Sythe), Leslie Bibb (Denice Aldworth), Cedric Yarbrough (Marcus), Francesca Eastwood (Kendall Carter), Amy Aquino (Judge Thelma Holub), Adrienne C. Moore (Yolanda); Runtime: 114; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producers: Tim Moore, Clint Eastwood, Jessica Meier, Adam Goodman, Matt Sklena; Warner Bros. Pictures; 2024)
“A tense courtroom drama.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The 94-year-old Clint Eastwood (“J. Edgar”/”Gran Torino”) has contributed to over 50 films during his career as actor, director, producer, and composer. This courtroom drama is a beaut when questioning the judicial system. Though offering a preposterous premise and too many unneeded flashbacks, it’s for the most part well-crafted, brilliantly acted (especially by Nicholas Hoult & Toni Collette), morally complex and a tense courtroom drama that’s judiciously written by Jonathan Abrams to go cynical on how the American judicial system works. If you’ve seen Henry Fonda in “12 Angry Men,” you’ll know where Clint’s coming from.
In a high-profile murder trial in Georgia, juror number 2, the good citizen and reformed alcoholic, Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult), asks to be excused because he thinks it’s possible he killed the vic, Kendall (Francesca Eastwood), by running over her on a dark road on a rainy night after having a few drinks at a bar. Also, because his pregnant wife Ally (Zoey Deutch) is expected to give birth soon. His reasonable request is however denied.
The prosecutor, Faith Killibrew (Toni Collette), believes she has the goods on the defendant, James Michael Sythe (Gabriel Basso), who she claims beat his girlfriend Kendall and left her unconscious on the road. She believes she has enough evidence to convict him on charges of first-degree vehicular homicide. The public defender, Eric Resnick (Chris Messina), has the difficult task of punching holes in the prosecutor’s argument.
There are a few interesting twists in the story that go along with Clint’s belief that the judicial system is far from perfect.
Justin votes not guilty, which antagonizes 10 of the jurors who vote guilty. But he gets support from the juror named Harold (J.K. Simmons), an ex-detective, whose job experience makes him think the defendant might be innocent.
It played at the AFI Fest.
REVIEWED ON 11/3/2024 GRADE: B+
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