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Juror #2: Compelling Legal Drama (MAX) (January 7, 2025 7:00 am)
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Juror #2: Compelling Legal Drama (MAX)

I didn’t catch this film at the theater, but it’s now free on MAX and well worth watching.  It may be the last film directed by Clint Eastwood (at 94), and he did his usual excellent job, getting fine performances from the entire cast, and telling the interesting story in a straightforward & well-edited fashion.

A pretty young woman, Kendall (Francesca Eastwood, Clint’s daughter), is murdered.  She has an emotionally-volatile relationship with her boyfriend, James (Gabriel Basso), and they were seen having an intense argument (including pushing each other) outside the local bar where they had been drinking on the night Kendall was murdered.  James is arrested for the murder.  The Prosecuting Attorney, Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette), is hoping that what appears to be a “slam-dunk” conviction will propel her into the D. A.’s office.  Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) is picked as Juror #2.  He is married to Ally (Zoey Deutch), and she is far along in her pregnancy with twins, the couple having lost a baby before.

I can’t say much about the plot or I will spoil it for you, but the film has terrific courtroom scenes, as well as intense scenes involving the jury’s deliberations focusing on the complex ethical dilemmas for Justin, Ally, and Faith.  The movie’s ending is ambiguous, and may disappoint many of you; however, I found the ending enjoyable, since I could speculate with Robin and my friends (who watched it with us) and discuss possible final outcomes.

If you see the film, you would have made an excellent “decision!”

I didn't catch this film at the theater, but it's now free on MAX and well worth watching.  It may be the last film directed by Clint Eastwood (at 94), and he did his usual excellent job, getting fine performances from the entire cast, and telling the interesting story in a straightforward & well-edited fashion. A pretty young woman, Kendall (Francesca Eastwood, Clint's daughter), is murdered.  She has an emotionally-volatile relationship with her boyfriend, James (Gabriel Basso), and they were seen having an intense argument (including pushing each other) outside the local bar where they had been drinking on the night Kendall was murdered.  James is arrested for the murder.  The Prosecuting Attorney, Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette), is hoping that what appears to be a "slam-dunk" conviction will propel her into the D. A.'s office.  Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) is picked as Juror #2.  He is married to Ally (Zoey Deutch), and she is far along in her pregnancy with twins, the couple having lost a baby before. I can't say much about the plot or I will spoil it for you, but the film has terrific courtroom scenes, as well as intense scenes involving the jury's deliberations focusing on the complex ethical dilemmas for Justin, Ally, and Faith.  The movie's ending is ambiguous, and may disappoint many of you; however, I found the ending enjoyable, since I could speculate with Robin and my friends (who watched it with us) and discuss possible final outcomes. If you see the film, you would have made an excellent "decision!"

8

In My Top 20 for 2024!

Another Winner for Eastwood!
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I have loved the movies ever since I saw “The Wizard of Oz” as a young boy. When Beatle-mania hit the USA, Rock-N-Roll was my greatest passion, but I haven’t enjoyed the current music scene nearly as much over the past 15 years, so that void has been filled by film. In college and med school, I would see movies with my friends and we would stay up late into the night chatting about them. I still love seeing movies with friends and then having dinner to discuss them. This blog evolved out of my desire to tell my movie-loving friends about movies I thought they would enjoy. The blog allows me to do this in a fun way and to reach movie fans everywhere.