Nicholas Hoult in Clint Eastwood courtroom drama

Anyone who has ever served on a jury, or even been subpoenaed to participate in jury selection, can recall the inevitable tensions that can arise from direct involvement in the justice system. Countless people may recognize the unique characteristics of this experience from a plethora of movies and TV series: the bailiffs issuing orders in court, the jury selection process, and the unpredictable uncertainty of the trial process.

However, although often static settings Juror #2Clint Eastwood’s latest feature will undoubtedly feel familiar, with the narrative twists and turns of Jonathan Abrams’ nimble script adding a fresh perspective to the courtroom drama. Eastwood’s long list of awards and near-unrivaled career longevity is sure to pique the interest of Warner Bros. bows on November 1, even if the film itself remains a fairly low-key addition to the Oscar winner’s fairly low-key career.

Debuting his latest project at the AFI Film Festival has become something of a ritual for the multi-talented 94-year-old, who previously starred in Matt Damon’s sports drama indomitable; J. Edgarstarring Leonardo DiCaprio; Oscar nominee american sniper with Bradley Cooper; most recently, 2019 Richard Jewell at the annual event. Although he was not present Juror #2In this film’s world premiere, Eastwood’s Obvious Legacy Inevitably tells the story of the recovery of alcoholic Justin Camp (Nicholas Hoult), the editor-in-chief of a magazine in Savannah, Georgia. Staff writer, summoned for jury service.

Justin’s life has changed dramatically since meeting and marrying Alison (Zoey Deutch) four years ago, and the couple is especially worried about the arrival of their new child after suffering a miscarriage the previous year. The anticipation is a constant distraction when he’s selected for a high-profile murder trial: County Attorney Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette), who is currently running for district attorney. ) accuses James Seth (Gabriel Basso) of malice murder in court. He could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

As details of the case emerged during the hearing, Justin found the narrative sound oddly familiar. Seth is accused of killing Carter last year, allegedly bludgeoning her to death on a dark, rainy rural roadside after a fight at a bar, although authorities never found the weapon. The incident allegedly occurred at the exact same location and on the same day that Justin hit a deer with his Toyota 4Runner after leaving the same bar where Seth and Carter were arguing. Justin claims he wasn’t drinking at the time, even though he was distraught about Alison’s miscarriage. But as Justin recounts what happened that night to supportive attorney Larry Lusk (Kiefer Sutherland), Justin speculates: “Maybe I didn’t hit the deer.”

The jury deliberations scene may have too many similarities to Sydney Lumet’s 1957 classic 12 Angry Manonly Justin initially opposed conviction. As he works to convince others that reasonable doubt remains about Seth’s guilt, he is also pushing a dangerous personal agenda. His staunch opposition to conviction began to raise questions among jurors, who nonetheless agreed that the case against Seth was not as clear-cut as Killebrew claimed during the trial.

Eastwood, who throughout his career has shown concern with society’s struggles with moral conflicts, focuses primarily on Justin’s moral dilemma rather than his legal instability. Repeatedly engaging the audience with the implicit rhetorical question: “What would you do?” the filmmakers successfully distract from the problems that a comprehensive procedural approach will be forced to confront. It’s an effective, if ultimately unsatisfying, approach that misleads the audience, but manages to avoid outright betrayal.

This strategy is largely successful, thanks to the strength of the cast and its familiarity with the chaos that follows a car accident. Hoult’s Justine suffers flashbacks throughout the trial that heighten the trauma of the event, which the actor conveys with understated but increasingly frayed restraint. Meanwhile, Collette gradually builds up the intensity of the character as Killebrew, who emerges as the narrative antagonist, begins to see her reputation and political career depend on the outcome of the case.

As in many of Eastwood’s films, the lead performances are highlighted by stellar supporting cast, from Chris Messina’s stalwart public defender defending Basso’s bewildered client to J.K. Simmons’ ) plays an excused juror with an ulterior motive.

Even the smaller characters are deftly portrayed, including Cedric Yarbrough, Adrienne C. Moore and Leslie as members of the reverse jury · Leslie Bibb, and the mischievous Amy Aquino as the trial judge—though the underused Deutch is given short shrift as Justin’s long-suffering spouse.

Eastwood’s team of longtime collaborators includes editor Joel Cox, cinematographer Yves Berenger, production designer Ron Rice, and producers Tim Moore and Jessica Meyer, masterfully crafted a unique film in classic Hollywood dramatic style. Eastwood sometimes over-relies on the familiar technique of close-ups to hint at a character’s inner conflicts. But an actor of this caliber can convey just as much emotion through a tap of a foot or a twitch of a finger as easily as they do another close-up on a facial feature.

Warner Bros. Discovery Channel Original Plan Juror #2 Streaming before the company changed the title to a PG-13 theatrical version. While this would make the film eligible for Academy Award consideration, it will reportedly only have a limited screening in fewer than 50 theaters across the country.

Nonetheless, the timing Juror #2The film’s release thrusts it squarely into this year’s awards discussion, and as always, Eastwood will remain a strong contender.