Juror #2

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Kiefer Sutherland, Zoey Deutch, Megan Mieduch, Adrienne C. Moore, Leslie Bibb, Cedric Yarbrough, Drew Scheid, Hedy Nasser, Chris Messina, Phil Biedran, Gabriel Basso, Amy Aquino
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
2024

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man (Nicholas Hoult) becomes a juror for a murder trial, and finds himself in a serious moral dilemma whose result could drastically change multiple people's lives.

Review:

Tim: What might be most remarkable to me about Clint Eastwood's Juror #2 is that there isn't anything all that remarkable about it- and yet, it's one of the more thrilling, well-made movies I've seen in 2024. It's not great enough to make my top 10 list, but it's wildly entertaining, thought-provoking, and exceptionally crafted. Even at his age, Eastwood knows how to direct a rousing, effective film. I didn't know anything about the movie going into it, and that's the best way to see it.

What I loved about this film is the moral dilemma at the heart of the story. We don't really see movies like this much these days. The protagonist is faced with an impossible choice, and the drama comes from the question, "What is he going to do?" This reverberates into, "What would I do in that situation?" The movie is incredibly thought-provoking from that perspective. When you watch, you're not just consuming a piece of entertainment, you're in it with the main character, contemplating your actions in a similar dilemma. Eastwood does a fantastic job of setting us up- when we learn what the moral dilemma is, it's a shocking, powerful moment.

The cast definitely elevates the film. Nicholas Hoult is so good in the lead role. He's authentic in the role and shows great vulnerability as the film progresses. His ability to convey inner turmoil is essential to the part, and he does a tremendous job. He is the ideal everyman to act as our conduit for the film. Toni Collette was solid in her performance- I'm not sure she's ever great, but she's never ineffective for a single moment. Her performance is never scene-stealing, but it always works. I loved seeing J.K. Simmons here- he absolutely makes the movie better. I did think how his character was handled was a bit sloppy- I wish he was given a slightly bigger role. Still, as you'd expect from Simmons, he utilizes every minute of screen time in the most effective manner possible. It was fun seeing Kiefer Sutherland here, although his small role is fairly thankless. Zoey Deutch gives a good performance as Hoult's wife- she has a few nice scenes, although the movie mostly keeps her on the margins. Cedric Yarbough was excellent in his surprisingly effective performance, and Adrienne C. Moore had several powerful scenes. Gabriel Basso was excellent as the man on trial. As a whole, this might not be an "A" list cast, but they all work well and make the movie work. I walked away impressed with the cast.

The film has an especially strong script, by Jonathan A. Abrams, and of course, impeccable direction by Clint Eastwood. The film holds our attention, moves forward, and wisely clocks out under 2 hours. It's certainly never going to overstay its welcome. That contributes to a tightly paced, focused film that is entertaining. The film holds our attention and we can't wait to see what happens next. That being said, I can't say I loved the ending- I thought it was good, it's effective, but I do think it could have been portrayed in a more powerful manner. This film definitely isn't great, and the conclusion is one reason why it doesn't reach those heights. Not that I'm complaining loudly- I do love legal thrillers and it feels like it's been a while since we got one. I do wonder why this film was somewhat unceremoniously dumped on Max- it feels like it didn't get the chance to really compete for end-of-year awards. Now, truthfully, I'm not sure this movie would have been a real player. I think it's really good, but never great. Still you'd think Eastwood deserved a bit better for this strong movie.

Juror #2 was an effective, entertaining thriller. It might not be powerful enough for me to ruminate on it for weeks afterwards, but this is also not a piece of lightweight filmmaking that you can dismiss. Sure, as I said at the beginning, there's nothing really great or remarkable about the movie. It works, but it never hits the highest levels. It's effective, but unremarkable as a whole. That's so interesting to me- that Eastwood is such an incredible director that he can turn in a film that's never great, and yet, Juror #2 is still so good that I'd highly recommend it to anyone. There's very few directors who could do that. It's a testament to why he's one of the all-time greats. As far as this film, it never makes the biggest impact, but it's intriguing, exciting, and it holds your attention. It's definitely worth seeing.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Runaway Jury, True Crime, Absolute Power, 12 Angry Men