Dane Bundy
5 days ago3 min read
Juror #2 (2024) Movie Review | The Courtroom Gem
- Dane Bundy
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Clint Eastwood’s latest film is a hidden gem. Hidden because it went straight to streaming with a limit release. A gem because, well, it is a really good film.
The story is about a young man thrust into a moral quandary of dire stakes. Justin Kemp is selected to serve on a jury, which he’s happy to do until he realizes he is anything but an unbiased juror. But now, it’s too late to back out. If he shares what he knows, he jeopardizes his life and his family’s well being.
Add Juror #2 to the list of great courtroom dramas from Grisham’s The Rainmaker, Rob Reiner’s A Few Good Men and, of course, Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men.
With little flashiness, Eastwood forces the audience to ponder the justice system in America, a system the characters keep repeating is “not perfect, but the best we have.” As a Christian, we can agree. No system on this side of Eden is perfect, but pursuing justice is a biblical good, despite the mess sin makes of it.
And that’s what Eastwood challenges us to consider more than anything: our choices matter, and our sins hurt not only ourselves but our family, and potentially those we don’t even know.
When the credits rolls, this film lingers with you. Like the justice system, it’s not perfect with some occasional weak acting and odd accents, but it’s one of the better courtroom dramas I’ve seen, and it’s a great film to discuss . . . like many of Eastwood’s films!
Rotten Tomatoes gave this a 93% critics rating and 91% audience score. I give it 4/5 stars!
Dane Bundy is President of Stage & Story and Director of Fine Arts at Regents School of Austin. He and his wife, Megan, live in Austin, TX.
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