It’s no accident Clint Eastwood is still a star at 94.
Few share the actor/director’s bond with the American public. He knows what stories captivate us and what characters count to the American psyche.
“Juror #2” continues that all-American connection.
The drama does a deep dive into the court system, following a juror whose life overlaps with a murder case in shocking fashion. He may be the prime suspect, but no one knows that but him. It’s a slick way to explore our imperfect legal system, one that hangs on our collective moral compass.
Nicholas Hoult stars as Justin Kemp, a recovering alcoholic and soon-to-be pappy. He’s summoned to jury duty at the worst possible time and he can’t wriggle free. His wife Allison (Zoe Deutch) is a high-risk pregnancy, and he doesn’t want to leave her side as her due date nears.
Little does he know that the murder case in question has a personal connection. The accused allegedly bludgeoned his girlfriend (Francesca Eastwood, the director’s daughter), leaving her body in a ditch off the side of a winding road.
It turns out Justin was near that spot on the night in question and thought he had hit a deer while driving home from the local bar. What if it wasn’t a deer?
FAST FACT: Clint Eastwood worked regularly on TV in the early days of his career, including a guest appearance on the sitcom “Mr. Ed.”
“Juror #2” is a straightforward courtroom drama, diving into the jury’s scramble for a unanimous verdict. Some see an open-and-shut case of a boor whose anger got the best of him.
Others feel it’s too obvious, that law enforcement picked a narrative from the jump and refused to let go. That includes J.K. Simmons, co-starring as a retired detective who senses something missing from the investigation.
Justin is caught between trying to protect the accused without sharing his role in the crime.
Another character brings a selfish motive to the case. Toni Collette plays hard-charging prosecutor Faith Killebrew. She sees a clean guilty verdict as helping her political aspirations.
So why is the case gnawing at her soul?
Juror #2 is set to premiere on Max on December 20th…. #Juror2Movie pic.twitter.com/2eJNDkB0KP
— Clint Eastwood (@EastwoodMalpaso) November 19, 2024
Eastwood’s unfussy filmmaking fits perfectly with the material. “Juror #2” doesn’t need stylish camera moves or flash cuts. The story supplies all the necessary juice.
The Oscar winner can’t avoid a few cloying moments, like when Justin drops some important paperwork tied to the case. That tic has marked some of his lesser work over the decades.
Age has nothing to do with it.
Jonathan Abrams’ script is muscular and efficient, but it needs space for one under-developed character. Kiefer Sutherland appears briefly as Justin’s AA sponsor, the only person he confides in about where he was the night of the murder.
Otherwise, it’s hard to find fault with “Juror #2.” It’s got a killer hook, an impressive cast and the kind of moral questions that keep our attention from start to finish.
Can Justin’s redemption story overpower an accidental death? Did he inadvertently strike the poor woman on that fateful night? How much did he have to drink before getting into his car?
Eastwood’s 2020 film “Cry Macho” found the aging auteur in a rare and ill-timed stumble. “Juror #2” shows he still knows a solid story and just how to tell it.
HiT or Miss: “Juror #2” takes a can’t-miss premise and knows not to get in its way.
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