Juror #2 Blu-ray Review: 12 Angry Jurors

It’s amazing how, at 94 years old, Clint Eastwood is still churning out feature films on a somewhat consistent basis. One would expect that, at this stage in life, there may be a little slowdown for the multi-award-winning filmmaker and acting legend – or he may hang up the hat for good. But Eastwood continues to exceed expectations that many, including myself, have had — having some breaks run less than five years before his next effort. I may be in the minority for films like Cry Macho and The Mule, both of which also starred Eastwood, but his last 10 years have brought some unexpectedly good entertainment, with a few hiccups here and there (see The 15:17 to Paris, for example). Juror #2 is expected to be his last film, and what a way to go out if it is. It’s reminiscent of courtroom dramas of old, especially 12 Angry Men.

Juror #2 is Eastwood’s 41st directorial effort, and it’s one that was met with some controversy last year after Warner Bros. refused to release it beyond 50 screens – despite strong test reactions from audiences. It’s a shame that the studio didn’t have hope in the film and instead put more of its focus on IP projects – which has been the norm for most studios, unfortunately. If released before the year 2000, Juror #2 would, no doubt, attract more attention and have a much stronger marketing campaign behind it.

Nicholas Hoult plays Justin Kemp, a features writer and recovering alcoholic who is summoned to serve as a juror for the death of a woman named Kendall Carter (Francesca Eastwood). Hoult, continuously proving himself to be one of this generation’s greatest actors, is outstanding in the role of someone who’s about to become a first-time father but has to wrestle with this case with which he doesn’t want to serve. It especially becomes more personal when there starts to be a connection between the case and a previous incident involving Justin.

The accused is the boyfriend, James Sythe (Gabriel Basso), who claims his innocence despite eyewitness testimonies and evidence saying otherwise. As more details unfold, though, Justin recalls a night in which he, too, was at the same bar as the accused and the now-deceased. A stormy night led to an accident on the same road in which Kendall Carter disappeared.

Confused and distraught, Justin turns to his AA sponsor Larry Lasker (Kiefer Sutherland, underused here), who also happens to be a lawyer. The recollection of that night and the alignment of everything being presented in the case leads Justin to believe he may be the killer – not the boyfriend. Justin is unsure of what to do, and Larry focuses on reasoning him to not come forward. Things get especially tense when he becomes the one holdout when the verdict needs to be decided, creating a roomful of tension that evokes emotions and the best moments of the film.

One thing about Eastwood’s recent efforts is that they all have this nice, polished look to them, and the camera work is smooth and nearly pristine. And the fact that Eastwood hardly goes for more than one take is telling of how serious and quick of a filmmaker he is. Juror #2 is no different, with its muted approach to storytelling and no attempt to create a showcase for possible Oscar buzz. The performances are all excellent, with Hoult and J.K. Simmons leading the pack. Toni Collete’s accent is a little off in her portrayal of the District Attorney prosecuting the case, but even she gets in some great moments. A final confrontation between her and Hoult is especially riveting.

Juror #2 is one of the better films from Eastwood’s later stage directorial career, and it’s a pity that it’s not getting the attention it deserved upon initial release. Warner Bros. didn’t even bother supplying the Blu-ray with additional features for those who are invested in wanting to see the behind-the-scenes material. But the disc does have a nice transfer and should please those who are physical collectors.

It’s hard to imagine we’ve seen the last of Eastwood. That discussion has been had multiple times, starting with Gran Torino being his last acting effort (he has done a few more since then) to Cry Macho being his final overall film as both actor and director, to now Juror #2 being the last thing to be released with his name attached to it. Who knows what will happen in the next two to three years? But, if this truly is his last project, let’s hope there will be some more appreciation for it in the years to come.

Juror #2 will release to Blu-ray on February 4 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.