JUDGE, THE

Robert Downey, Jr. (left) and Robert Duvall star in new courtroom drama “The Judge,” directed by David Dobkin. / Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

On occasion, films will tackle a genre that rarely leaves the cable television screen: the courtroom dramas. When people think of courtroom movies, they tend to think of the classics: “A Few Good Men,” “The Crucible,” “In Cold Blood,” “The Verdict” and “12 Angry Men.” It’s hard not to love the combination of snarky lawyers and deep moral questions that are always topped off by a big twist at the end.

But there hasn’t been an acclaimed courtroom free-for-all in the 21st century of film as of yet, and it’s difficult to say if “The Judge” will be able to fill that role. Instead of supplementing the electrically-charged court case with a background of interpersonal drama, “The Judge” took the opposite route.

Ultimately, the courtroom became a stage for the Palmer family to force out their interpersonal problems Рand this would have been an interesting change to the courtroom film formula, had it tried to balance out the clich̩s with matching quality.

All the scenes in court took a backseat to the roller coaster of emotions that was the Palmer family disaster. Only 10 minutes into the film, the audience was dragged into the picturesque scenes of a small town family trying to pull itself back together 20 years after it fell apart. The poignancy of the familial moments was arguably only effective due to the outstandingly provoking father and son relationship portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. Even with a whirlwind of shabby directing decisions and a script that limits the potential of what could have been an amazing film, the acting of Duvall and Downey Jr. combined with the empathetic family melodrama left me surprisingly satisfied.

Directed by David Dobkin (“Wedding Crashers”), the film begins with illustrious city lawyer Hank Palmer (Downey Jr.) in a courthouse bathroom “accidentally” peeing on his opposing prosecutor. The entire theater lost it as Downey Jr.’s persona continued to be witty and obnoxiously egotistical, setting the stage for what began to feel like an “Iron Man: Back in Court” experience.

The court case grinds to a halt as Hank hears of his mother’s passing, and he makes the trek to his old hometown of Carlinville, Ind., where nothing ever changes. Hank is clearly (and explicitly) loath to return to the small town life, and the audience soon discovers that it is less because of the town itself and more due to his intensely estranged family. The movie takes off when Hank’s father (Duvall), the town’s only judge, is accused of murder, and Hank dives headfirst into untangling both the truth of the trial and the alienation of his family.

The film hit so many clichés that it’s hard to reconcile that Dobkin actually put them all in intentionally, not even trying to make any of them innovative. There’s the outwardly smug but internally struggling lawyer, the mom that tied the whole family together, every single small town trope you can think of, emotional courtroom scenes where everyone cries at least once and the stubborn grandpa, traditional and morally rigorous to a fault. Unfortunately even with the family melodrama, there were so many points in the two hours and 20 minutes where the film simply lagged before managing to jostle itself awake again. If you want to see a movie of suspension and action, this is not the work for you.

Though not an outstanding legal thriller, “The Judge” touched on the dysfunctional family dynamics that most viewers can relate to without dragging down the film into a dreary puddle of sadness. The cinematography was delightfully bright and captured the quaint small town feel with ease, and the soundtrack was a perfect choice with songs by Lucinda Williams and Bon Iver that are guaranteed to tug on your heartstrings. The entire theater burst into hysterical laughter an abundance of times while leaving room for scenes that made me tear up against my will, balancing humor and sentiment in equal terms.

The Palmer family was the root of all emotions in the courtroom (and theater). The chemistry between Duvall and Downey Jr. as father and son could not have been more remarkable, and we’ve all met a grandpa just like Duvall’s Judge Palmer. He is obstinate, he is honest, he is grumpy and honorable. Judge Palmer is the biggest jerk to his kids and the biggest sweetheart to his grandchildren.

Watching Hank try to reconcile with his father was a journey of one step forward and two steps back, and it was one of the few elements of the film that broke out of its cliché box. The supporting brothers Glen (Vincent D’Onofrio, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) and Dale (Jeremy Strong, “Zero Dark Thirty”) to Downey Jr.’s middle child were not as relevant as they could have been, though it seems to be due to the enormous shadow of Hank’s father drama.

And not to give too much away, but all you need to know about Hank’s daughter Lauren is that you want to give that small child 10,000 high-fives. Without her, the film would not have been nearly as cheerful and might have played out as a complete downer – even with Downey Jr.’s endless sass.

In the end, the film was much longer than it needed to be and hit far too many speed bumps to join the ranks of classic courtroom films, and yet as a family spectacle, it is worth seeing. The ending is one of the few surprising moments and leaves you feeling not entirely happy but undoubtedly content.

If you want to see two highly profiled actors at the top of their game, and you like mixing your laughs with a sprinkling of tears, it is worth setting aside a few hours of your time to settle down and get personal in the town of Carlinville, Ind.

– By Erin Degler, Contributing Writer

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