ScoobyMint
Disappointment for a huge fan!
Taraparain
Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Sabah Hensley
This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama
mahoneyjen
This movie did not get the acclaim it should have.
Very moving performances by Downey Jr and Duvall.
Really touching film. Worth the watch.
o-31546
A great cast with a story line written wonderfully for the lead actors.Robert Downey Jr. is generally an easy way to fish me into a film, and adding Robert Duvall into that equation as his father really sealed the deal, leaving me quite predisposed to digging this one. The two are an estranged son and father, with RDJ returning to his small hometown to defend his father on a murder charge.Every performance in this film is A-List quality. The premise is a bit cliché but that's because it's honest...it's real. Ultimately, this is just a beautiful story about a father and a son finding their way back to each other. The film is a tad overlong,and I did really enjoy the performances from all involved and would recommend checking it out. ---From Yidioo
The Hateful Citizen
Excellent. This is what the movie "The Judge" is. But especially what is the performance of Robert Downey Jr., he is masterly in this film, mixing humor and sad reality of a life devoted to his (great) career as a lawyer, having left behind family and friends. We see in this film a very interesting father-son relationship but it is not only that, Hank's career is often questioned, as he has only clients guilty, privileging money and glory to his family life, whether his wife and daughter or his brothers and parents. After having had to return to the sources because of the death of his mother, he finds himself confronted with his past. But he must also, as a lawyer, represent his father, judge, suspected of murder and who prefers his honor and his integrity to freedom. A poignant film even more highlighted by the exceptional performance of RDJ and which deserves well a 9/10! I judge this movie excellent !
drpakmanrains
Really looked forward to this film, although newspaper reviews were lukewarm, since I have always liked courtroom type stories. (My father was a lawyer). And with actors like Robert Duvall and Robert Downey Jr., how bad could it be? Answer: Not bad, really, but still disappointing. First, it was soooo long, nearly two-and-a-half hours, while the story wasn't all that complicated. Second, the script was what I call overwritten, meaning that much of what was said was very complex and sounded contrived, yet spoken very quickly, so it made me feel that the actors were just reciting their lines, not speaking from the heart. I think Duvall was better than Downey overall, as I find his glib style, similar to his awkward moments in "Chef", to be annoying after awhile, even obnoxious. Plus it was fairly predictable, even though it took almost forever to get there.