Knock on Wood

Clint Eastwood should be a sure box office bet. From his immortality in the Western genre on both sides of the camera to his illustrious directing career (which has netted him four Oscars), his staying power is clear. Why won’t Warner Bros. recognize it?

Even divorced from their catastrophic mistakes of the last few years, the studio’s choice to release Eastwood’s latest (and potentially last) feature on fewer than 50 screens with no wider release and no box office reporting is a baffling one. It’s even more puzzling when you consider the fact that the words “Clint Eastwood legal thriller” would have the casual moviegoing audience in the 50+ demographic turning out in spades.

This film is Juror #2, an original drama scripted by playwright Jonathan Abrams that places Eastwood squarely in his comfort zone, where his talents can be maximized: within an intimate and brisk character study, driven by nuanced discussions about the efficacy of our justice system. In other words, it should be a sensation. This is the sort of movie that would have ruled the charts for months in the ’90s.

Juror #2 has a killer premise: journalist and recovering alcoholic Justin Kemp (played by Mad Max: Fury Road star Nicholas Hoult, whose role here is one of four this year) is chosen to serve on a jury for a brutal crime he comes to suspect he may have unconsciously played a role in. Where does he go from here, especially when his moral quandaries begin to consume his judgment?

There’s a certain quality to Juror #2 that I will forever find endearing, and that is its willingness to embrace the inherent excitement of its premise. This is juicy, and could lend itself to either an absurd progression that gradually spirals out of control, or a more grounded meditation on guilt that finds its thrills in the quiet moments. Eastwood makes the smart decision and opts for the latter, which contextualizes it significantly while not restraining it in any way. That is why it’s so easy to buy into; Justin Kemp’s journey feels very true-to-life, like it could really happen, and that’s why it’s so entertaining. You want to see what this ordinary man will do next when faced with an impossible choice, all while maintaining a very distinct boundary from the reality we live in. That’s the magic of the movies, baby.

Juror #2 is supposedly Clint Eastwood’s final film, but we know how fickle “retirements” can be in the entertainment industry. If this were his hurrah, it’d be on a very good note. Juror #2 plays incredibly well, delivering on its promises while placing itself comfortably in the hands of its excellent ensemble. Joining Hoult are Toni Collette (Hereditary), Zoey Deutch (Everybody Wants Some!!), Chris Messina (Argo), Kiefer Sutherland (24), J. K. Simmons (Whiplash), Leslie Bibb (The Big Easy), and more, each and every one representing one of the supposed cornerstones of morality. Hoult is a fierce lead, underplaying the big moments but remaining incredibly expressive, providing a unique window into the unraveling psyche of a man played by unmeasurable guilt.

Eastwood’s latest deserves to be seen on the big screen. It’s gripping, pulpy, and exciting, and skillfully transposes the hallmarks of the sub-genre – courtroom scenes, backdoor politics, and dramatic confessions – into an intense, but palatable piece of cinematic entertainment. It leans on the visual imagery of Lady Justice and all that she stands for, all while posing to the audience the same questions it interrogates the characters with. I hope Clint has more movies in him, but I hope even more that the studios are able to recognize when they have a hit on their hands. Juror #2 deserves to be seen, if for no other reason than to prove there is still an appetite for the cinematic experience.

Juror #2 is playing in select theaters now.