The trial film Juror No. 2 may be Clint Eastwood’s last film as a director and the first reviews are finally here.
Oui, three years after the failure of his neo-western Cry MachoClint Eastwood is back with a new film Juror No. 2. The filmmaker is now 94 years old and this trial film directed by Nicholas Hoult, Toni Colette and Kiefer Sutherland could well be his last film as a director. And if you missed it, it’s normal since Warner decided to completely sacrifice this Juror No. 2. David Zaslav, the boss of Warner, has in fact decided to throw the film out of the window for financial reasons.
So, Juror No. 2 will only be entitled to minimal exploitation in the United States (less than 50 cinemas). However, even though promotion for the film only began at the beginning of October, less than a month before its arrival in theaters, the trailer was quite promising. Even more, the film was chosen to close the prestigious AFI Fest, presaging a rather successful result. So what is it really? The first opinions are in. Tweet review.
Eastwood’s trial
“Juror No. 2 is a sneaky and biting thriller. Clint Eastwood explores the moral ambiguity of humanity through a compelling character study. Nicholas Hoult and Toni Colette are wonderful. Zoey Deutch is the heart of the film. Photography by cinematographer Yves Bellanger [déjà derrière La Mule ou Le Cas Richard Jewell chez Clint Eastwood, ndlr] is a real strong point. »
Courtney Howard – Variety
“Juror #2 is a solid film from Clint Eastwood. Certainly better than some of his other recent films. It presents a gripping premise for a courtroom drama, where a man’s sense of guilt is tested and the true effectiveness of our justice system is dissected and called into question. Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette deliver solid performances, rife with doubt and the heavy burden of guilt, although the bland cinematography and lethargic pacing prevent this film from being one of Eastwood’s best. »
Matt Neglia – Next Best Picture
« Juror No. 2, it’s a bit like Clint Eastwood who offers us his Sunday morning legal drama broadcast on W9, and I really liked it until the last twenty minutes. Hoult and Collette are good, Chris Messina is great. I don’t understand why this film isn’t released more in theaters?! It could have been a great success! »
Ryan McQuade – The Playlist
« I kept struggling inside and wondering what was the right thing to do or what was true justice during Juror #2. The film really challenges our prejudices and moral standards. I think the public would like to see this film and go through the same questions as me. […] Juror #2 is a captivating story that will spark discussion and different responses from different viewers. My favorite Clint Eastwood film in recent years! »
Maggie Min
“Juror #2 addresses an intriguing moral dilemma: What happens if you are on the jury and judge a man’s guilt when you may be guilty of that same crime? Unfortunately, Clint Eastwood ruins it with flat writing and slow pacing. Not as bad as Cry Macho, but it’s close. »
Tom O’Brien – Gold Derby
“Juror #2 is incredibly stupid and corny. A case « that could have been solved in a minute,” a ridiculously shaky storyline and a laughable jury full of lame performances. Nicholas Hoult has perfect skin. Toni Collette and Chris Messina harmless. »
Erik Anderson – Awards Watch
“Juror #2 starts out chaotic, but improves once jury deliberations begin. The whole thing is peppered with dismal dialogue and is barely carried by the interesting starting point, this moral conflict which should keep us in suspense about what will happen next, and some good performances. »
Jack Murphy – Oscar Film Forecast
“In its first two acts, Juror No. 2 is a kind of gently tortuous hybrid between 12 Angry Men and One Way [thriller de Roger Donaldson avec Kevin Costner, ndlr]. Unfortunately, the story loses all interest in the third act and ends up chaining false endings to an almost arbitrary conclusion. It’s not a disaster but it’s clearly not a new classic of the genre. »
Scott Mendelson – Puck News
Given its first returns, it is difficult to really get an idea of the true value of Juror No. 2. The film seems to have divided critics, between those calling it an effective little trial film and others calling it a somewhat cheesy thriller. One thing is certain, everyone agrees that Juror No. 2 will probably not be remembered by moviegoers as one of Clint Eastwood’s best films.
In France, you won’t have to wait long to finally discover it since Juror No. 2 will be in cinemas from October 30 (only three days after its world premiere).
