Synopsis
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.
Your Movie Library
Cast
- Robert Downey Jr.Hank Palmer
- Robert DuvallJoseph Palmer
- Vera FarmigaSamantha Powell
- Vincent D'OnofrioGlen Palmer
- Jeremy StrongDale Palmer
- Dax ShepardC.P. Kennedy
- Billy Bob ThorntonDwight Dickham
- Leighton MeesterCarla Powell
- Ken HowardJudge Warren
- Emma TremblayLauren Palmer
Recommendations
- 60
Variety
The Judge pivots on a simple yet inspired stroke of casting, pitting Duvall’s iconic gravitas against Downey’s razor-sharp wit, and then supplying no shortage of opportunities for both men to chew the scenery. - 60
Time Out London
A charismatic performance from Downey Jr and the growling presence of Duvall makes up for a multitude of sins in this big and brash family drama that puts the heavy emphasis on drama over family. - 50
The Hollywood Reporter
The Judge is well served by intense performances from stars Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, but is undercut by obvious note-hitting in the writing and a deliberate pace that drags things out about twenty minutes past their due date. - 42
The Playlist
The Judge has the curious ability of straining too hard while managing to say nothing dramatically. - 40
The Guardian
The Judge is a timeless film, in that it could have been made at almost any point over the past 80 years: rote plot, functional support, well-signalled twists. It’s a two-seater star vehicle offering little legroom for other passengers. - 40
The Telegraph
There are also moments of more sincere family dynamics, which elevate the production beyond a hackneyed made-for-television movie. But they are too few to prevent a guilty conviction for Dobkin: first-degree, low-grade schlock. - 40
Village Voice
The Judge has its funny moments but is far more serious at heart, and much more of a slog, too. - 38
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
A bloated all-star melodrama with none of the lean, mean legalese of a John Grisham adaptation, it’s a showboat’s movie cast with a lot of actors each promised “a big, cool scene.”
