The Judge is a 2014 drama directed by David Dobkin and stars Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio, Dax Shephard, and Jeremy Strong. Successful Chicago lawyer Hank Palmer (Downey Jr.) reluctantly returns to his small hometown of Carlinville, Indiana to attend his mother's funeral. The sad event forces Hank to confront his strained relationship with his family, mainly his brothers Glen (D'Onofrio) and Dale (Strong), and his father, Joseph (Duvall), the town's beloved judge. Only a couple of days later, Joseph is accused of running over a recently released convict whose case was the judge's biggest regret. It is up to Hank to defend his father and save his legacy. The film's premise is very interesting, as it is both a mystery/thriller as well as a family drama. However, I thought that these elements were poorly executed; the plot was predictable and there was just too much family drama, almost to the point of unbelievable (it plays out as a male-driven August: Osage County, since there's everything from secrets to betrayal to incest). It isn't all bad though, with the excellent performances being the standout, especially from the central Downey Jr.-Duval duo. With a running time of almost two-and-a-half hours, The Judge is ultimately an over-long, soap opera-ish melodrama that doesn't quite live up to its potential.
Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B-
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