Title: The Judge
Directed by: David Dobkin
Screenplay by: Nick Schenk and Bill Dubuque
Year: 2014
Upon hearing of it, The Judge instantly became one of my most anticipated films of the year. With a heavyweight cast of great actors, an excellent premise, and a good trailer, I couldn't wait to see this movie. How did it turn out? Not quite what I expected.
Robert Downey Jr. plays attorney Hank Palmer, whose mother's funeral brings him back to his hometown where he meets up with the rest of his family. When his father, the town judge (Robert Duvall), is accused of murder, Palmer must put aside their complicated relationship to help his father.
This basic premise has been done before but not quite like this. I can easily say however that the best part of this movie is its stellar cast. Robert Downey Jr. owns his role of a smartass attorney with family issues. In the trailer, there was one shot that really wanted me to see this film. It was a quick shot of Downey sitting down, looking up, and his eyes were filled with tears. I expected a tremendous performance and Downey delivered. Now for the other Robert. Duval is phenomenal as the titular judge. He plays the tough father type but he makes the role his own. The chemistry between Downey and Duval is electrifying. That is not to dismiss the rest of the cast however. Vera Farmiga gives a good performance as the "past love" character. Vincent D'Onofrio, a very underrated actor, is excellent as Hank's older brother. And Billy Bob Thornton, though not in really in the film all that much, is very good as the opposing lawyer. This powerful cast alone is worth the price of admission.
How's the story though? Interesting. This is a creative premise and one of the more intriguing ones of the year. Though the father-son-complicated-relationship is a cliché (not the last time you'll read that word I'm afraid), the rest of the story feels new and inspired. However, the faults lie in its execution. The plot unfolds at a good pace, but the way it unfolds is rather problematic. For instance, there really is not much emphasis on the courtroom scenes, which are actually some of the main highlights of the film. The courtroom segments are vastly outnumbered by the scenes with the family. As a result, the movie feels a quite unbalanced. I'd say maybe 25% of the film deals with the courtroom. If it was about 50-50, The Judge would be better for it. The courtroom drama is so good and because there is so little of it, it leaves the audience wanting more, but not in a satisfying manner. The family drama is very good, but it has some cliché elements. Not to get too specific, but the film becomes predictable at some points because of how familiar certain parts are.
Some of the scenes are also questionable. For example, Hank and Samantha (Farmiga) break into a bar the night before the big trial. Why would Hank be committing a crime right before he goes to court? Also, a few minutes later, we find out that Samantha owns the bar. So why break in? I understand that Hank's behavior is well within his character and I see the purpose of the scene, but it is just too unrealistic and drew me out of the experience. Speaking of Hank and Sam, their romantic relationship is alright at best. The romance is there, and it has its moments, but it could have been handled better.
The relationship between the three brothers is another highlight of the film. Downey, D'Onofrio, and Jeremy Strong give spectacular performances. They bounce off of each other with such ease and their chemistry is nothing short of magnificent. D'Onofrio plays the oldest brother and captures the leadership like qualities of responsible Glenn Palmer. Strong plays Dale, the youngest of the three and not all well in the head but with a big heart. Both roles are a little cliché but the performances make the characters feel fresh and likable. As a result, the family conflict hits a core with the audience that resonates very well. Hank and his father, Hank and Glenn, etc. I also didn't expect the dynamic between Hank and Glenn to be so intriguing. I give credit to the film for fleshing out this aspect more than it needed to be, for it paid off. In addition, the direction by David Dobkin is very good. The camera work is befitting of the film and captures the drama effectively.
The Judge is a strange addition to Dobkin's filmography, given his previous work, but a welcome one I'd say. The Judge was not as fantastic as I had hoped it to be, but I did walk out of the theatre satisfied with the film I had watched. This movie is worth watching solely for its standout performances, but that is not all it has to offer. A refreshing and interesting story adds to the quality of this film. A few questionable and cliché elements weigh the movie down a bit, but it remains a good film.
Grade: B
How's the story though? Interesting. This is a creative premise and one of the more intriguing ones of the year. Though the father-son-complicated-relationship is a cliché (not the last time you'll read that word I'm afraid), the rest of the story feels new and inspired. However, the faults lie in its execution. The plot unfolds at a good pace, but the way it unfolds is rather problematic. For instance, there really is not much emphasis on the courtroom scenes, which are actually some of the main highlights of the film. The courtroom segments are vastly outnumbered by the scenes with the family. As a result, the movie feels a quite unbalanced. I'd say maybe 25% of the film deals with the courtroom. If it was about 50-50, The Judge would be better for it. The courtroom drama is so good and because there is so little of it, it leaves the audience wanting more, but not in a satisfying manner. The family drama is very good, but it has some cliché elements. Not to get too specific, but the film becomes predictable at some points because of how familiar certain parts are.
Some of the scenes are also questionable. For example, Hank and Samantha (Farmiga) break into a bar the night before the big trial. Why would Hank be committing a crime right before he goes to court? Also, a few minutes later, we find out that Samantha owns the bar. So why break in? I understand that Hank's behavior is well within his character and I see the purpose of the scene, but it is just too unrealistic and drew me out of the experience. Speaking of Hank and Sam, their romantic relationship is alright at best. The romance is there, and it has its moments, but it could have been handled better.
The relationship between the three brothers is another highlight of the film. Downey, D'Onofrio, and Jeremy Strong give spectacular performances. They bounce off of each other with such ease and their chemistry is nothing short of magnificent. D'Onofrio plays the oldest brother and captures the leadership like qualities of responsible Glenn Palmer. Strong plays Dale, the youngest of the three and not all well in the head but with a big heart. Both roles are a little cliché but the performances make the characters feel fresh and likable. As a result, the family conflict hits a core with the audience that resonates very well. Hank and his father, Hank and Glenn, etc. I also didn't expect the dynamic between Hank and Glenn to be so intriguing. I give credit to the film for fleshing out this aspect more than it needed to be, for it paid off. In addition, the direction by David Dobkin is very good. The camera work is befitting of the film and captures the drama effectively.
The Judge is a strange addition to Dobkin's filmography, given his previous work, but a welcome one I'd say. The Judge was not as fantastic as I had hoped it to be, but I did walk out of the theatre satisfied with the film I had watched. This movie is worth watching solely for its standout performances, but that is not all it has to offer. A refreshing and interesting story adds to the quality of this film. A few questionable and cliché elements weigh the movie down a bit, but it remains a good film.
Grade: B
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