Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Zoey Deutch, Leslie Bibb, Kiefer Sutherland
Running Time: 114 minutes
Synopsis: In Savannah, Georgia, Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) is called to jury duty for the trial of James Sythe (Gabriel Basso), who is accused of murdering his girlfriend Kendall on a rainy night after a quarrel at a bar. As prosecutor Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette) and public defender Eric Resnick (Chris Messina) present their arguments, Justin keeps secret the fact that he was at the bar on the fateful night and may be involved in Kendall's death. A recovering alcoholic with his wife Allison (Zoey Deutch) in the final weeks of a high-risk pregnancy, Justin's decisions in the jury room will have far-reaching implications.
What Works Well: A compelling personal conflict of interest presents a gateway into broader social dilemmas. Juror Justin is a family man reconstituting his life but hiding a heavy burden of guilt, while the accused is a career criminal responsible for societal disorder but now vehemently denying harming his girlfriend. Surrounding them are an ambitious district attorney, other jurors seeking expediency rather than justice, and a victim who cannot speak for herself. Director Clint Eastwood reveals plot secrets and gnawing suspicions in measured doses, gradually increasing tension and achieving admirable shifts in sympathy.
What Does Not Work As Well: Beyond the wild coincidence of Justin being called to be a juror for this particular case, the premise requires exceptionally sloppy work by the medical examiner and police investigators. One of the jurors (J.K. Simmons) and the prosecutor then self-appoint themselves as detectives. Kiefer Sutherland suffers neglect in an underdeveloped role as a lawyer.
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