Shadows on the Wall

Juror #2

dir Clint Eastwood
scr Jonathan Abrams
prd Clint Eastwood, Tim Moore, Jessica Meier, Adam Goodman, Matt Skiena
with Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, Chris Messina, Zoey Deutch, JK Simmons, Kiefer Sutherland, Gabriel Basso, Leslie Bibb, Cedric Yarbrough, Amy Aquino, Adrienne C Moore, Jason Coviello
release US/UK 1.Nov.24
24/US Warners 1h53

Is it streaming?

At 94, Clint Eastwood's directing style remains both sharp and unpretentious, gliding along with quietly swelling tension and emotion. While it feels old fashioned, the approach suits this courtroom thriller, where suspense comes from a moral dilemma rather than plot gyrations. So while Jonathan Abrams' script tends to lean into melodrama, making sure that every single point lands loudly, the subtle direction and nuanced performances make it engaging.

In Savannah, Justin (Hoult) is annoyed when he's called for jury duty just as his wife Allison (Deutch) is about to give birth to their first child, turning the page on past pain. In court, Justin hears arguments from a shark-like prosecutor (Collette) and tenacious defender (Messina), as the thuggish James (Basso) is accused of violently killing his girlfriend. And Justin realises that he has a secret connection to this case. Fellow juror Harold (Simmons) turns out to be a cop, and begins investigating. But the 12-member jury remains split about whether James is guilty.

Yes, only Justin knows the truth about the murder, and he has understandable fears about speaking up. The only person he can confide in is his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor Larry (Sutherland), a lawyer who warns him about his sticky ethical and legal predicament. And as events unfold, there are various discoveries and revelations, each of which is more constructed and convenient than surprising. Thankfully, the film is also peppered with intriguing character details that keep us connected to what's happening.

While much of the film simply requires him to look around in a thoughtfully shifty manner, Hoult has a couple of very strong emotional moments along the way, with particularly sparky scenes opposite Deutch, Collette and Simmons, all of whom add their usual layers of interest to their roles. Collette gets some enjoyably meaty business to attend to, as her character is campaigning to be elected District Attorney. And Basso has some vivid scenes, proclaiming his innocence to people who don't want to believe him.

While the story unfolds with unusual steadiness, elements do manage to get under the skin, most notably in the central questions about the true nature of justice. Several characters are facing carefully structured moral questions, which play out in some rather obvious ways, poking the conscience in all the standard ways. But because Eastwood never pushes anything too hard, and the actors respond with wonderfully understated performances, there's plenty here to keep us thinking.

themes, language, violence 29.Oct.24

R E A D E R R E V I E W S

Still waiting for your comments ... don't be shy.