The Judge (2014)

Ann and I liked this drama about a cocky Chicago attorney who returns to his Indiana hometown for his mother's funeral and stays to defend his estranged father, a respected judge, against a murder rap. Roberts Downey and Duvall are very good and the cinematography, music, and production design are stunning. As I recall, two weeks later, it was too long, however. Downey (last blogged for his cameo in Chef) is no stranger to playing arrogant characters but, of course, he softens after a while. Duvall (most recently in Get Low) doesn't let us down as the hard-to-please father. Vera Farmiga (last in Higher Ground) is lovely and warm as Downey's high school flame all grown up, and Vincent D'Onofrio (who can forget him as the alien made of bugs in Men in Black (1997)? I also liked his work in Full Metal Jacket (1987), Mystic Pizza (1988), The Player (1992), Household Saints (1995), Strange Days (1995), The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002), Thumbsucker (2005), and the 2009 Oscar nominated short The New Tenants) is also convincing as Downey's frustrated brother.

David Dobkin (The Change-Up) directs from a screenplay by Nick Schenk (Gran Torino) and Bill Dubuque (his debut). Janusz Kaminski (Lincoln) is behind the beautiful pictures.

My Rule #8 declares that Ohio is where hicks live in the movies. This time it's Indiana that Downey's character denigrates. That said, the design team does a lot with the small town sets and locations.

Thomas Newman (last scored Get On Up) remains one of my favorite film composers. Listen to tracks on youtube, beginning here.

Rotten Tomatoes critics didn't care much for it, averaging 47%, while the audiences are coming in at 78. Jack couldn't join us when we saw it, but I think he would've given it about a 70, as we would.