| Juror #2 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Clint Eastwood |
| Written by | Jonathan Abrams |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Yves Bélanger |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Mark Mancina |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 114 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | ~$35 million[2] |
| Box office | $27 million[3] |
Juror #2 is a 2024 Americanlegalthriller film co-produced and directed byClint Eastwood and written byJonathan Abrams. The film starsNicholas Hoult,Toni Collette,J. K. Simmons, andKiefer Sutherland. In the film, a man serving on the jury of a high-profile murder trial realizes that he may be responsible for the victim's death.
Juror #2 had its world premiere atAFI Fest on October 27, 2024, and was released in the United States byWarner Bros. Pictures on November 1, 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics and was named one of theTop 10 Films of 2024 by theNational Board of Review.[4]
InSavannah, Georgia, journalist andrecovering alcoholic Justin Kemp is called forjury duty, which he tries to excuse himself from as his wife, Ally, is approaching her due date in ahigh-risk pregnancy after a previous miscarriage. He is seated in the case of the death of Kendall Carter who, a year prior, had a fight with her boyfriend, James Sythe, at a bar and was later found dead under a bridge; Sythe is charged with her murder.
Hoping to attract voters with a high-profile domestic violence conviction in her run fordistrict attorney, Faith Killebrew acts as prosecutor. Witnesses confirm that Sythe was drunk and disorderly on the night in question and that he followed Kendall after she stormed off. Thecoroner testifies that her injuries were consistent with abattery by a blunt instrument, character witnesses attest Sythe had a history of violence, and an eyewitness claims to have seen Sythe at the location from which Kendall's body was thrown.
Justin realizes he might have killed Kendall himself: on the night of her death, he was at the same bar as the couple and, when later driving home, he hit something with his car and got out to see what it was, but he assumed it was a deer and kept driving. Concerned that an innocent man might be convicted, Justin seeks advice from hisAlcoholics Anonymous sponsor Larry, adefense attorney, who tells him that if he comes forward he would likely be prosecuted and convicted, as no one would believe he was sober because of his previousDUI convictions. Justin resolves to argue for a not-guilty verdict, using his own sobriety story to show that Sythe is capable of change.
Most of the jurors favor a conviction at first, but at Justin's suggestion, fellow juror Harold, a retired detective, argues in favor of examining the facts more closely, citing that the eyewitness testimony could have been skewed byconfirmation bias. Another juror notes that there would have been low visibility and another, a medical student, points out that Kendall's injuries could have been the result of ahit and run driver. More jurors begin to agree with this theory, which causes Justin to fear he may be identified as the killer. Harold breaks jury rules by collecting data on body-shop visits following Kendall's death, which includes Justin's car. Justin strategically reveals Harold's research to the judge, who removes Harold from the jury.
Realizing law enforcement officers hadprimed the eyewitness to identify Sythe at trial, Killebrew grows conflicted about the case and visits the owners of the vehicles on the repair records. Justin's vehicle is on the list but is registered to Ally, who parrots his cover story to Killebrew. Ally later confronts Justin about this and he admits to have been in the bar that night - the due date of the twins they lost to an earlier miscarriage - but did not drink. Now realizing Justin's possible involvement in the death, Ally agrees that he must do what he can to protect their family. Justin tells Larry the trial is headed for ahung jury, but Larry cautions that, as Killebrew has tied the case to her election campaign, Sythe could be re-tried and forcing amistrial will not save him.
With one juror adamant he will not change his guilty vote, Justin convinces the rest to vote to convict and is not present when the verdict is given. After Sythe is sentenced tolife without parole, Killebrew discovers Justin is Ally's husband and confronts him. When she argues that Sythe has been convicted of a crime he is innocent of while the real perpetrator goes free, Justin implores her to leave the case alone, countering that Sythe had a history of violence while he, "a good man", would see his life and family destroyed, adding that Kendall's death was unintentional and that admitting she tried the wrong man could harm her chances at becoming DA. Ally gives birth to their baby and Justin sells his car to remove any connection to the crime; he starts to feel relieved and ready to move on from the case, until Killebrew arrives at his doorstep.
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It was announced in April 2023 that filmmakerClint Eastwood had set the project as his next film,[5] withNicholas Hoult andToni Collette in negotiations to star.[6] They were confirmed the following month, withZoey Deutch andKiefer Sutherland also joining the cast,[7][8] andGabriel Basso entering negotiations for a role.[9] In June,Leslie Bibb was added to the cast.[10] In November,Chris Messina joined the cast while Basso was confirmed.[11]J. K. Simmons,Amy Aquino,Adrienne C. Moore,Cedric Yarbrough, Chikako Fukuyama, Onix Serrano andFrancesca Eastwood were added in December.[12][13]
Collette and Hoult reunited 22 years after playing mother and son inAbout a Boy (2002).[14] This was the second time working together for Deutch and Hoult, after the filmRebel in the Rye (2017).[15]
Production began in June 2023, when Eastwood was 93 years old,[5] with filming locations includingSavannah, Georgia, and Los Angeles,[16][17] before it was suspended in July due to the2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[18] Production resumed in November upon the conclusion of the strike.[11] Post-production had wrapped by April 2024.[19]Mark Mancina composed the score for the film; he previously worked on Eastwood'sCry Macho (2021).[20]
Juror #2 premiered as the closing film of the 38th edition of the film festivalAFI Fest on October 27, 2024; the event continues a long-standing relationship between Eastwood and theAmerican Film Institute (AFI), which previously launched the world premieres ofAmerican Sniper (2014),J. Edgar (2011), andRichard Jewell (2019) at the festival.[21]
Warner Bros. Pictures initially envisionedJuror #2 as adirect-to-streaming release onMax.[2] However, Warner Bros. gave the film alimited release on November 1, 2024.[22] The film was released in fewer than 50 domestic theaters, and Warner Bros. was expected to not report box office results.[2]Variety characterized Warner Bros.' decision to deny the film a wide release as "a peculiar approach for a filmmaker who still has commercial appeal", noting that Eastwood had been making films for Warner Bros. for 50 years and was still delivering major commercial successes, includingAmerican Sniper (2014),Sully (2016), andThe Mule (2018).[2]Vulture'sBilge Ebiri suggested that Warner Bros.' decision implied deep problems with the modern-day studio system, suggesting that "Eastwood, for all his genre cred and iconic stature, is one of the few major filmmakers left making studio-financed adult dramas. To the modern studio executive, he must look like aglitch in the matrix – not an artist to be protected, but an error to be corrected."[23]
The film's atypical release entailed Warner Bros. announcing that the film would debut on Max on December 20, 2024, branded as aMax original. A spokesperson for the studio claimed that a direct-to-streaming release was the original intent, and that they agreed with the filmmakers to reconsider a limited theatrical run in order to generateword-of-mouth ahead of the Max release.[24]
The film received awide release in the UK, showing at more than 300 cinemas nationwide.[25]
In the United States, the film opened in 35 theaters and grossed an estimated $90,000 on its first day and $260–270,000 over the weekend; Warner Bros. did not report official numbers, to reportedly "save face" for Eastwood "by avoiding any negative box office headlines".[26] Internationally, the film grossed $5 million from six territories in its opening weekend, including $3.1 million in France, where the film also received good reviews from critics.[27]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 93% of 175 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "A legal thriller with a heavy conscience,Juror #2 is less a summation of Clint Eastwood's storied directorial career than another terrific reminder of his knack for plain-spoken drama."[28]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 72 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[29]
Vulture'sBilge Ebiri commented thatJuror #2 inverts many tropes of the courtroom drama genre, writing that while in an ordinary legal thriller, "the system usually prevailed" and "justice would be served, even if it took a few extra tries", Eastwood's drama is a film "about how the system can fail even as everybody tries their best". He added that Eastwood's perspective is mirrored by his "own growing cynicism about the effectiveness of [government and legal] institutions".[23]
Several critics noted thatJuror #2 did not fit a traditional political narrative.IndieWire's Christian Zilko called the film "one of the best studio films of 2024", writing that while the film "introduces a reverence for law, order, and due process that seems to suit a lifelongconservative, it eventually reveals a more apolitical patriotism that's uniquely Eastwoodian".[30]The New Yorker'sRichard Brody agreed that while Eastwood is "one of the most distinctive and original political filmmakers ... the politics [the film] brings to life is essentially, and forcefully, anti-political ... Eastwood treats celebrity as a diabolical tool and sees the gap between publicity and reality as a trap door to hell".[31] TheNeue Zürcher Zeitung commented thatJuror #2 could be read as a parable of America's political divide, in which Sythe, a representative ofDonald Trump'sblue-collar voting base, is being judged by Kemp, a representative of the progressive elite, who realizes he may have been blind to his own offenses.[32]
The New York Times'Manohla Dargis praised the film and Hoult's performance, but commented that the visuals were more functional than impressive.[33] Peter Debruge ofVariety added that while "as always, Eastwood respects our intelligence", the film "ranks among his quietest films, forgoing spectacle in favor of self-reflection".[34]
FilmmakersLuca Guadagnino,Lance Oppenheim, andWhit Stillman all citedJuror #2 as among their favorite films of 2024.[35]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AACTA International Awards | February 7, 2025 | Best Supporting Actress | Toni Collette | Nominated | [36] |
| Columbus Film Critics Association | January 2, 2025 | Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work) | Nicholas Hoult | Runner-up[a] | [37] |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | January 8, 2025 | Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema | Clint Eastwood andJonathan Abrams | Won | [38] |
| Hawaii Film Critics Society | January 13, 2025 | Best Overlooked Film | Juror #2 | Nominated | [39] |
| International Cinephile Society | February 9, 2025 | Best Picture | 19th place | [40] | |
| London Film Critics' Circle | February 2, 2025 | British/Irish Performer of the Year | Nicholas Hoult | Nominated[b] | [41] |
| Michigan Movie Critics Guild | December 9, 2024 | Film Excellence | J. K. Simmons | Nominated[c] | [42] |
| National Board of Review | December 4, 2024 | Top Ten Films | Juror #2 | Honored | [43] |
| New Mexico Film Critics | December 15, 2024 | Best Actor | Nicholas Hoult | Runner-up | [44] |
| Oklahoma Film Critics Circle | January 3, 2025 | Best Body of Work | Won[a] | [45] | |
| San Diego Film Critics Society | December 9, 2024 | Special Award for Body of Work | Won[a] | [46] |
The title marks a reunion for Deutch and Hoult, as the two previously starred opposite one another inDanny Strong's 2017 biographical drama,Rebel in the Rye.
Eastwood drängt dem Zuschauer keine Lesart auf, aber man ist geneigt, «Juror #2» als Parabel zu verstehen: Vor Gericht treffen die zwei Amerikas aufeinander. Angeklagt ist Kernamerika, das Land der Trump-Wähler. Über sie richtet mit Justin Kemp ein Vertreter des progressiven Lagers. Dieses fühlt sich moralisch überlegen. Doch stellt sich heraus, dass es womöglich blind war für die eigenen Vergehen. Und der Angeklagte mag ein Rowdy sein. Aber deswegen ist er nicht automatisch ein Kapitalverbrecher, der weggesperrt gehört. So interpretiert, ist «Juror #2» eine Kritik an der Selbstgefälligkeit eines linksliberalen Milieus, ohne gleichzeitig die rechte Trump-Klientel reinzuwaschen.[Eastwood does not impose any interpretation on the viewer, but one is inclined to seeJuror #2 as a parable: The two Americas meet in court. The defendant is America's heartland, the land of Trump voters. It is being judged by Justin Kemp, a representative of the progressive camp. The latter feels morally superior. But it turns out that it may have been blind to its own offenses. And the accused may be a hooligan. But that doesn't automatically make him a capital offender who should be locked up. Interpreted in this way,Juror #2 is a criticism of the complacency of a left-liberal milieu without at the same time whitewashing the right-wing Trump clientele.]
