Juror #2 (2024) Warner Bros./Drama-Thriller RT: 114 minutes Rated PG-13 (some violent images and strong language) Director: Clint Eastwood Screenplay: Jonathan Abrams Music: Mark Mancina Cinematography: Yves Belanger Release date: November 1, 2024 (US) Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough, Leslie Bibb, Keifer Sutherland, Amy Aquino, Adrienne C. Moore, Drew Scheid, Francesca Eastwood, Zele Avradopoulos, Phil Biedron, Bria Brimmer, Jason Coviello, Chikako Fukuyama, Rebecca Koon, Hedy Nasser, Onix Serrano. Box Office: N/A
Rating: ***
Clint Eastwood is one of the finest filmmakers of our time. I’ve made my position on this quite clear a number of times. It’s always a pleasure when he comes out with a new movie. It’s also a privilege. At 94, he might not be with us much longer. Any movie could be his last. I hope and pray to the movie gods that he goes out on a high note when his number is finally called.
Personally, I thought his last movie Cry Macho would have the perfect swan song. Clint should have retired on that one. If you’ve seen it, you understand why this makes sense. Well, Clint’s a guy who likes to keep busy so I figured he might have another one in him. Sure enough, he did, the gripping courtroom drama Juror #2. It has the distinction of being the first Clint Eastwood movie since Bird that I didn’t see at the cinema. The studio, for reasons that remain unclear, opted for a limited theatrical release, opening it in less than 50 theaters around the country. It didn’t even open here in Philadelphia. I will never understand the inner workings of WB these past few years. He’s Clint Eastwood; he deserves more respect than this. Stop pissing away your money on ridiculous DC superhero movies!
A man (Basso, The Night Agent) is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend. He claims he didn’t do it. The ADA prosecuting the case, Faith Killebrew (Collette, The Sixth Sense), needs a conviction. She’s running for DA and it will make her look good. Of course, it’s up to a jury to convict or acquit. That’s where things get dicey.
One of jurors, journalist and recovering alcoholic Justin Kemp (Hoult, Nosferatu), knows more about the case than he lets on. The details are cloudy, but he’s certain that the defendant is innocent. He’d like to be done with this trial ASAP as his wife Ally (Deutch, Zombieland: Double Tap) is in the third trimester of a difficult pregnancy and he’d like to be there for her. However, his conscience won’t let him go and he can’t say anything about what he might know. Instead, he tries to sway the jury. They all vote to convict; he tries to get them to change their minds. Meanwhile, Faith starts to have a few doubts of her own after a brief conversation with a dismissed juror, retired cop Harold (Simmons, Red One).
I don’t want to say anymore about the plot. I don’t want to give too much away. I don’t even want to talk about the development that’s revealed early on. The whole movie is predicated on it. Besides, I’m sure you can guess what it is without me telling you. What I will say is that it adds an extra level of drama to Juror #2. It’s a question of morals. What’s a juror supposed to do when he has pertinent information on a case, especially if it definitively proves the defendant’s guilt or innocence? What if the defendant is a terrible person? Do we still keep quiet? Maybe this person deserves to be in jail. It’s a real conundrum.
There’s also a question of ethics? What if a prosecutor finds out the person they’re trying to convict might be innocent? Do they look into it or proceed with the case? Faith has a lot riding on the outcome. It could determine her political future. On the other hand, she has a duty to uphold the law and apply it fairly. She shouldn’t knowingly send an innocent man to jail if he is indeed innocent. It weighs on her conscience.
Juror #2 isn’t your standard issue legal thriller. Nothing is cut and dry. It’s not about the verdict. It’s not about justice being served or not served. It’s more about the effectiveness of the legal system and how it can fail. Clint reveals his growing cynicism about the government and due process. The film plays out like an updated version of 12 Angry Men with the scenes of the jurors arguing and deliberating as Justin attempts to convince them to acquit. The only difference is he’s no Henry Fonda. He’s not doing what he’s doing out of a sense of decency or altruism.
In the title role, Hoult does fine work. I see in him the same star quality I first observed in About a Boy when he was a child actor just starting out. He has an Everyman quality to him. I can see him playing the same kind of dramatic roles Tom Hanks played in his younger years. Collette is equally good as the ADA struggling with a big ethical problem. Chris Messina (Air) delivers a solid performance as the public defender on the case. Keifer Sutherland (24) provides strong support as Justin’s AA sponsor. He serves as his moral sounding board.
Juror #2 is a quiet, somewhat contemplative film. It’s like a John Grisham thriller in how it knows the legal system and pays attention to every detail. My only problem is that a crucial element of the story feels rushed and abrupt. I’d like to know more about how it got there. Aside from that relatively small glitch, Juror #2 is a good courtroom drama that nicely represents old school filmmaking. Clint is one of the last of the old guard. Let’s appreciate him while he’s still around to appreciate it.
