It’s been 18 months since his last outing, so we’re overdue for a visit from a most unlikely king of the box office, Robert Downey, Jr. By unlikely, I’m not trying to dismiss his considerable talents. After all he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for the title role in the bio-pic CHAPLIN (hey, it takes a lot of guts just to tackle such a cinema icon). The unlikely tag refers to the whole expectation for a BO champ, since it’s frequently been action muscle men like Arnold or Sly. In his early career, Robert was always playing the quirky wild-card with an oddball line delivery. Plus his tabloid turmoils just seemed to fuel his “out of left field” rep. And then came that big role which became his entry into the ‘A’ list of actors: Tony Stark. Those four films as the genius inside the armor suit, along with two stints as Sherlock Holmes, and two big comedies, TROPIC THUNDER (for which he grabbed another Oscar nom) and DUE DATE, established him as a highly bankable commodity (his scene-stealing cameo in this Summer’s CHEF certainly added to that indie flick’s luster). But Downey’s not had a real chance to show off his dramatic acting chops for five years (THE SOLOIST), so he’s now a producer (along with his wife) of this new project that hopes to remind audiences of that serious actor behind the popcorn action epics. Downey here teams up with another Robert (and Oscar winner), Duvall, in a generational legal drama THE JUDGE.
Hot shot high-priced Chicago defense attorney Hank Palmer’s got the world by the tail. Opulent suburban home, gorgeous wife, adorable six year-old daughter, what more could he ask for? Well, it would be nice if some of his clients were innocent, but that doesn’t matter much to Hank. Then, in the opening moments of a new trial, he’s blind-sided by a phone call telling him of his mother’s passing. He’s not been back to his small Indiana home town in years, but he hurriedly packs for a solo trip (that gorgeous wife informs him of her divorce plans as Hank heads to the car). Heading straight to the empty funeral parlor, Hank meets up with his younger, mentally challenged brother Dale (Jeremy Strong), who’s always hiding behind his 8 MM camera, and older brother Glen (Vincent D’Onofrio), former high school baseball whiz, now running a local auto shop. Their pop, the right honorable Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall) is at work in his judicial robes, handing down tough sentences to the guilty. Later, at the wake, he has a tense reunion with his estranged son Hank. The next morning, at a pre-funeral breakfast, Hank is served by his former high school flame Samantha Powell (Vera Farmiga). That night, after the Palmer brothers return to Dad’s house after a hoisting a few at the local bar, they notice some recent damage to the classic 1971 family car. Soon the local sheriff is paying a call. Mark Blackwell, a man recently released from prison after serving a sentence laid down by Judge Palmer, has been found dead on the side of the road, a victim of a hit-and-run. Seems that a local grocery store has security camera footage of Blackwell and Palmer interacting earlier last night. When police techs examine the judge’s car, they find blood traces. Soon he’s up on murder charges and the judge’s only hope may lie with the son he’s hasn’t spoken with for over a decade.
The film’s success lies with the performance of the two Bobs, and the duo do not let their fans down. Downey does many of the riffs his admirers adore. He flirts with a couple of ladies and shoots well-timed zingers at many slow-witted antagonists. But there’s more of his softer side here, especially in scenes with his kid brother and daughter. And in the courtroom scenes he’s the zealous advocate, leaping to his feet to challenge his father’s foes. Duvall is cranky and short-lipped, particularly at the sight of his prodigal, but he also softens up after meeting his granddaughter for the first time. Still he builds a wall around himself that finally begins to chip away to reveal his vulnerability. D’Onofrio is the gruff, but good ole’ boy until he lets us see the man’s frustrations over a future denied him. Strong does his best with the cliché’ role of the ‘special’ brother who always says the right thing needed for the scene (either a laugh or an “awww”). Farmiga brings a nice earthy sexuality to the role of the gal Hank left behind. Another terrific Oscar-winner, Billy Bob Thorton, is sinister and very smooth as Hank’s courtroom nemesis, prosecutor Dwight Dickham perhaps the only character that’s Hank’s intellectual equal. He’s a smiling shark always sniffing for blood in the water. Dax Shepard provides great comic relief as the in-over-his-head local attorney that the judge hires to spite his son. Leighton Meesteris gives a very friendly cocktail waitress a real flirty vixen vibe. Grace Zabriskie has a great hateful sneer as Momma Blackwell as she demands “justice fer’ mah’ boy!”, while Ken Howard bring the right gravitas for his role as the presiding judge at the big murder trial.
Director David Dobkin, best known for comedies like WEDDING CRASHERS and FRED CLAUS, has a tough time reigning in this heavy-handed, predictable script (three writers worked on this). The story would to be better suited for premiere cable or as part of “Hallmark’s Hall of Fame” since big dramatic clashes seems to be planned to build toward sponsor breaks. It slogs along, as if it were twice its 140 minute running time. At times it’s mawkish and overwrought with characters screaming just inches from the other’s nose. And the major reveals happen in the most ludicrous settings (really, during a tornado alert, really?) leading up to a courtroom confession/breakdown that would embarrass Peary Mason. And come on, we’ve got to endure stilted 8 MM home movies to drive home motivations ( a sure sign of writing desperation). Plus a clumsy bathroom accident scene veers too close into “shock for shock’s sake” territory (this in addition to countless “barfing” scenes outside the courthouse). Oh, and a pointless romantic triangle just derails any momentum. Hardcore fans will love seeing two great actors from different generations sparing, but for the rest of us, THE JUDGE is like being a sequestered juror for a trial that goes on and on and on….
2 Out of 5
