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The Judge
2014 141 min United States of America R 18+
★7.2
Drama
Director: David Dobkin
Trailers
Description
A successful lawyer returns to his hometown for his mother's funeral only to discover that his estranged father, the town's judge, is suspected of murder.
Budget:
$40M
US Gross:
$47.12M
Worldwide:
$84.42M
Starring
Robert Downey Jr.
Actor
Robert Duvall
Actor
Vera Farmiga
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 2015
— Best Supporting Actor
Golden Globe 2015
— Best Supporting Actor
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2015
— Best Supporting Actor
Key opinion
The Judge is a well-acted, emotionally resonant family drama that focuses on the complex reconciliation between an estranged father and son. While many praise the performances and thematic depth, some viewers find the plot reliant on rural clichés and occasionally hampered by an uneven, lengthy runtime.
| Acting | Robert Downey Jr. delivers a compelling, multi-layered performance that successfully breaks away from his established superhero persona. | |
| Acting | The central chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall acts as the emotional anchor, effectively carrying the weight of the film’s themes. | |
| Cinematography | The film’s cinematography and atmospheric setting successfully create an immersive, vivid world. | |
| Theme | The narrative successfully explores profound themes of generational trauma, family duty, and the complexity of forgiveness. | |
| Originality | The plot's reliance on familiar, small-town American tropes divides viewers between those who find it nostalgic and those who find it cliché. | |
| Runtime | The 142-minute runtime divides audiences, as some find the slow-paced character development rewarding, while others find the middle section sluggish. |