JUROR #2 (2024) - Movie Review

Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Leslie Bibb, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough, Kiefer Sutherland
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Writer: Jonathan A. Abrams
Runtime: 114 min
Rated: PG-13 for some violent images and strong language.
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

"Juror #2" follows family man Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) who, while serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma... one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict--or free--the accused killer.

Review:

"Juror #2" has to be 2024's most overlooked film, and in my humble opinion, also one of 2024's best films. Directed by the great Clint Eastwood ("Unforgiven", "Million Dollar Baby", "Mystic River"), the film stars Nicholas Hoult as Justin Kemp, a family man and recovering alcoholic who is called to serve jury duty on a heavily publicized hit-and-run murder trial. Nothing out of the ordinary at first. However, as the opening statements begin, he immediately realizes that the accused killer is innocent and that he's the one responsible for the victim's death.

The courtroom drama aspects of this story have a familiar feel, paying tribute to the great "12 Angry Men", and even bearing some similiarities to the John Grisham adaptation "Runaway Jury". But there's nothing by-the-numbers about Eastwood's film as the script avoids most of the genre's trappings. It's only partly a legal thriller, and mostly a character-driven psychological drama. "Juror #2" is at its best and hard-hitting when it asks difficult questions about the justice system, truth, morality and human nature, and it benefits greatly from the veteran filmmaker's grounded, no-frills approach to storytelling.

Hoult is great as a simple man faced with a complex moral situation and choices he will have to live with for the rest of his life. He perfectly captures the character's turmoil and moral oscillations through a riveting performance that I dare say deserved more awards attention in 2025. Eastwood also builds an assorted ensemble of supporting players that includes Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Leslie Bibb, Zoey Deutch, Cedric Yarbrough and Kiefer Sutherland. Each role, no matter how small serves the narrative well as Eastwood weaves an intricate tapestry of characters, none of which feel wasted or pointless. Collette in paticular stands out as the Assistant District Attorney prosecuting the case, who is faced with some tough choices of her own.

The film ends on an ambigous note, which will undoubtedly be a point of contention for a lot of viewers. While I do enjoy endings that don't force-feed definitive answers, I'm wondering if that final scene was truly necessary, especially since everything up to that point seemed to have been wrapped up well enough. On the other hand, I would rather watch a "What happens next ?" or a "What would you do next ?" coda than some forced shock value twist ending.

It's a shame Warner Bros didn't offer this movie and its director more support for a proper theatrical release, especially considering this is probably Eastwood's swan song. In spite of the studio's inexcusable blunder, "Juror #2" is a powerful, un-manipulative and thought-provoking movie that you should definitely check out, whether via streaming or Blu-ray, which will be released on February 4th.

SCORE: 8/10