Carl Roberts 
“Justice Is Blind. Guilt Sees Everything. And Clint Eastwood knows how to bring down the curtain on his career. It’s a just a shame Juror #2 lets him down”
In a movie career that has spanned decades, Clint Eastwood has become a legend among his peers and fans alike around the world. From his uncredited performance as a bomber pilot in the horror film ‘Tarantula’ to his more recent fare, Eastwood is the epitome of the past sixty years in moviemaking. It is now being reported that, at the age of ninety-four, he has directed his final film. In Juror #2, Eastwood has made a legal thriller as the curtain call to his outstanding career. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, and Kiefer Sutherland, the film is written by Jonathan Abrams. With all his movies behind the camera, Eastwood brings a sense of style to proceedings throughout. But can the Oscar-winning director go out on a high? Or is the film guilty of being a run-of-the-mill thriller, unworthy of Eastwood’s talents?
PREMISE
Family man Justin Kemp, 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.
THOUGHTS
Clint Eastwood directs the movie in his own, superb style. The film is expertly directed by the legendary actor/ director. From the start, we see his usual flair and deftness behind the camera. With some terrific performances from his cast, especially Nicholas Hoult, Eastwood has almost all the tools he needs to deliver something gripping. Sadly, the material he has to work with lets him and the film down. Despite throwing up some gripping and thought-provoking premises and some intriguing moral dilemmas, the film takes an absolute age to get to its conclusion.
Just before the halfway point, the jury is sent out to consider its verdict. The rest of the film follows Hoult and his fellow jurors arguing amongst themselves as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. The problem is, we already know who is innocent and who is guilty long before this point. The remainder of the film sees Kemp in a quandary. Does he reveal what he knows or does he keep quiet and potentially convict an innocent man? While this manages to sustain the film for long periods, it all leads to nowhere. It is a slog to get to the climax. However, to the film’s credit, it does leave its ending ambiguous.
CAST
Nicholas Hoult is superb in his role as Justin Kemp. An extremely flawed man, one who is eagerly awaiting the birth of his child with his wife Ally (Zoey Deutch), Kemp is shocked to discover he knows more about the death of Kendall Carter (Francesca Eastwood) than he can let on. Hoult is extremely likeable in his role, putting him through the emotional and moral wringer at every turn. Toni Collette as Faith Killebrew, the main prosecutor, is equally as good. Killebrew wants a conviction to boost her campaign in the upcoming election for District Attorney. Her single-mindedness blinds her at times to the real truth that is in front of her eyes. At times, she is unlikeable while at others, we can see the pressure she is under and feel sympathy. By the climax, we wonder which way she will go as she learns the truth.
J. K. Simmons as Harold and Kiefer Sutherland as Larry Lasker are sadly underused. Sutherland gets what is essentially an extended cameo, appearing briefly before vanishing for long periods and then vanishing from the film completely. Although his role does add another layer to the film and its moral dilemmas, it feels shoehorned in. J.K Simmons gets a meatier role but he too is underused. Harold does have a secret that he hasn’t disclosed to the jury selection, one that comes into play during proceedings. But again, his character gets to a certain point and then vanishes from the film altogether. Of course, the main character and the one we follow the most is Justin. But we could have done with more of Simmons’ and Sutherland’s characters in the final third of the film.
SCREENPLAY
The screenplay by Jonathan Abrams does throw up some moral arguments and some good drama along the way. But his script is lumbering with no real mystery to it. It shows its hand far too early, leaving us with an empty feeling when we reach the climax. That’s not to say it doesn’t have a lot to say. It does. It makes us question our own feelings and thoughts about what’s presented to us during the film. But we also find ourselves getting restless with the pace and lack of real mystery, wanting to see how the film resolves itself. And that is never good.
VERDICT
If this is to be Eastwood’s swansong, then he has done a wonderful job in his final directorial effort. It is just sad that the material he has to work with takes an age to get to where it is headed, only to discover that it is, essentially, a road to nowhere. The film is well-intentioned, no doubt about it. But ultimately, it is an empty vessel. Moral dilemmas and posing questions can only get you so far, even with a cast that excels. Without engaging fully with the audience, the film slips into run-of-the-mill fare, something that we have seen before many times.
The film does enough to be a worthy watch, that isn’t in doubt. And it is always great to see a master director work his magic. We must applaud his efforts, Clint Eastwood deserves that much. We can see his fingerprints and heart all over the film. With this and Hoult’s performance, the film does manage to engage us at times. But these are few and far between. While not Eastwood’s worst directorial effort, it isn’t his best either. And that is a huge shame. The legendary actor/director deserved a much better sendoff if this is his final film. But if it is, then we will miss his quality and keen directorial eye on cinema screens. Juror #2 sits through and deliberates on a trial. It’s just a shame that the audience has to sit through a trial of its own.
Juror #2 opens in cinemas on November 1st, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
