Clint Eastwood may be 94 years young but he’s totally on his game directing “Juror #2 ,” his latest film and maybe his last. (Let’s hope not.)
Warner Bros should be encouraged to make a big deal of this taut courtroom thriller.
Eastwood makes the most of a strong cast including Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette. Chris Messina, and Zoe Deutsch. They are one of the best ensembles I’ve seen this year.
This film has Eastwood’s signature all over it. It’s concise. There’s no fat but there is a simple looking story that is complex at its heart. Father to be Justin (Nick) is chosen as a juror on a hit and run trial. Once seated, he immediately realizes that he himself was the driver of the car that killed a young woman on a stormy night.
Chris Messina plays his earnest and loyal defense attorney. Toni Collette is note perfect as the crusading prosecutor. Deutsch is his very pregnant wife. In the jury room, JK Simmons (egregiously underused) joins Justin in trying to prove the innocence of the accused killer, the young woman’s boyfriend. When that doesn’t work out, the rest of the jury — recalling “12 Angry Men” — parse the killing and the matter of guilt.
Eastwood — working with Jonathan Abrams’ sometimes spotty script — does nothing flashy. He just tells the story. But he also dives into Justin’s head and ours. What would you do in this situation? Hoult is solid as a man who wrestles with his conscience, and takes us along for the ride.
Really, Warner Bros., release this movie properly. You’ve got something special here.
