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Solidly cast and beautifully filmed but thoroughly clichéd, The Judge seems destined to preside over a large jurisdiction of the basic cable afternoon-viewing circuit.
All Critics (196) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (95) | Rotten (101) | DVD (1)
There are a number of fine reasons to see the courtroom-meets-family melodrama The Judge. As you might suspect, two stand out: actors Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Jr. Oct 17, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
There are a number of fine reasons to see the courtroom-meets-family melodrama The Judge. As you might suspect, two stand out: actors Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Jr.
Lisa Kennedy
There are plenty of emotional fireworks in this big, soupy but entertaining picture, which is obvious Oscar bait. Oct 16, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
There are plenty of emotional fireworks in this big, soupy but entertaining picture, which is obvious Oscar bait.
Peter Bradshaw
A charismatic performance from Downey Jr and the growling presence of Duvall make up for a multitude of sins in this big and brash family drama . Oct 14, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
A charismatic performance from Downey Jr and the growling presence of Duvall make up for a multitude of sins in this big and brash family drama .
Dave Calhoun
I don't expect The Judge to usher in a new era of legal thrillers, but I'm happy to see Downey leave the Marvel universe and Baker Street behind. Oct 11, 2014 | Rating: B | Full Review…
I don't expect The Judge to usher in a new era of legal thrillers, but I'm happy to see Downey leave the Marvel universe and Baker Street behind.
Chris Nashawaty
It wants to be many movies, and fails at being even one of them. Oct 10, 2014 | Full Review…
It wants to be many movies, and fails at being even one of them.
Wesley Morris
This is not by any means a bad movie. The script has its bright patches, the setting is picturesque, and the cast is full of actors you'll want to see. Oct 10, 2014 | Full Review…
This is not by any means a bad movie. The script has its bright patches, the setting is picturesque, and the cast is full of actors you'll want to see.
David Edelstein
There are the makings of a good, old-fashioned family drama here, but the film is bogged down by cliché and predictability that permeate the script. Mar 1, 2019 | Full Review…
There are the makings of a good, old-fashioned family drama here, but the film is bogged down by cliché and predictability that permeate the script.
Paula Fleri-Soler
Robert Downey Jr. relishes this role, and it shows. Jan 29, 2019 | Full Review…
Robert Downey Jr. relishes this role, and it shows.
Amanda Greever
A good example of talented actors taking mediocre material and making it passable entertainment. Jan 24, 2019 | Full Review…
A good example of talented actors taking mediocre material and making it passable entertainment.
Micheal Compton
THE JUDGE is nothing more than an overwrought family film with a random appearance by Billy Bob Thornton and a few F-bombs for dramatic effect. Dec 7, 2018 | Rating: C- | Full Review…
THE JUDGE is nothing more than an overwrought family film with a random appearance by Billy Bob Thornton and a few F-bombs for dramatic effect.
James Clay
In the end, the absolutely brilliant performances of Downey and Duvall make the movie worth every minute, despite the shortcomings of the script. Nov 2, 2018 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…
In the end, the absolutely brilliant performances of Downey and Duvall make the movie worth every minute, despite the shortcomings of the script.
Debbie Baldwin
It's not particularly surprising, but I admit it was an agreeable and sometimes emotional experience [Full review in Spanish] Jan 30, 2018 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
It's not particularly surprising, but I admit it was an agreeable and sometimes emotional experience [Full review in Spanish]
Sebastian Zavala Kahn
The court and family drama is carried by two outstanding performances by RDJ and Duvall. Their chemistry and the excellent support cast make for a thoroughly entertaining film with just the right amount of humor and rural American atmosphere. Overall really well done even if the ending falls a bit short.
Super Reviewer
This small-town epic seems like an Oscar-bait movie, but I'm surprised it hardly caught any fish. Robert Duvall plays a venerated, hard-nosed judge who is suspected of a hit-and-run of an ex-criminal whom he put behind bars decades ago, and RDJ plays the estranged son who long ago lost respect for his father but now must put that aside to showboat-lawyer away this charge. Both turn in layered and affecting performances. It's a long-ass movie, but the family's dramatic backstory is worth the wait. Vincent D'Onofrio plays the same put-upon older brother he played in "The Break-Up," but it works, and Jeremy Strong as the mildly retarded younger brother is an endearing supporting character that provides all the others a piece of sugar in their darkest moments.
It's difficult to understand what the filmmakers were going for when they made this film: is it an intense familial drama about a son coming home? Is it a comedy about a sarcastic, frustrated man dealing with his overbearing father? It's tough to pin down the tone of this film, as it shifts between jokes about incest, to a scene where a son must clean off his father, who has defecated on himself. While many films have been able to blend together two separate genres and tones, this is not one of them. This film is completely haphazard in its approach to its subject matter, owing to the fact that this film only garnered a single Oscar nomination. Read more at http://www.bluefairyblog.com/blog/2015/3/18/the-judge
Yes, The Judge is melodramatic and somewhat formulaic, but the performances rescue it. The cast is extraordinary, as is the cinematography and music. It's not only a good courtroom drama, but the issue of chemotherapy and its complications broaden the scope and add depth. Robert Duvall is outstanding; it's good to see his Oscar nomination for this role. It's a study of small-town relationships and politics, with even the threat of incest inserted. (Pun intended) Unlike some critics, I must be small-town and formulaic myself because I liked and identified with these characters.
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