Surprise… apparently all the talk of this flick getting a very limited release a couple weeks ago has gone away. It snuck into my local AMC anyway so I took ’em up on the opportunity. Clint Eastwood at 94… and still putting out good, solid work.
Juror #2 is basically 12 Angry Men with extra steps. It’s about a jury trial where one man believes the accused may not be guilty… or at least deserves a conversation. The other jurors are slowly swayed… meanwhile it turns out Juror #2 has more stake in the outcome than he originally thought… but can’t come forward lest he risk his family.
This is a solid, effective drama with multiple ideas about how justice operates and the personal responsibility of one man. It’s an exploration of ethics and morality in a way that had me on the edge of my seat, unsure which way the wind would blow.
I was somewhat flip title-dropping 12 Angry Men since this film takes place both in and out of the jury room. But it does contain meaty conversations in that room, including a group of interesting characters, some with their own obvious prejudices.
The cast is all around excellent… so many actors turning up for Mr. Eastwood. Nicholas Hoult is Juror #2 with Toni Collette as the prosecuting attorney and Chris Messina on defense. JK Simmons and Leslie Bibb are two of the jurors and we get Kiefer Sutherland plus a handful of other recognizable actors scattered throughout. It’s a great ensemble.
The morality play at the center of the film is also intriguing. We have a juror who suspect the truth but can’t speak up. He might be wrong, he might be right. If he says anything, he’ll probably get an innocent man off but become the focus of justice himself. And he has a very pregnant wife at home waiting for a verdict
Like many Eastwood films, this is a movie directed by an adult for adults. It’s not flashy, it doesn’t fill the screen with big special effects… it just asks its actors to act its well-written script. It’s a good solid effective drama that had me both guessing and wondering.
Score: 86