That’s not my main takeaway lol. Just one of the things I was thinking of cause I was talkin about the movie with a few people in my family who watched it. Admittedly this is the most I’ve probably thought/discussed a movie IRL in quite some time haha
This is a pretty good mid-budget smart adult film. Not fantastic or anything, but feels like it stands out because they don't make many movies like this anymore. I kinda feel the same about Conclave.
What makes the film rise above some clunky dialogue or heavy-handed scenes is that it poses an interesting question without an easy answer. Our protagonist is by many definitions a "good man" with many responsibilities, so is it justice if he goes to jail for an accident? Is sending an innocent man to jail different if he seems like he will inevitably be guilty of something else? Should you keep quiet about the information if you can use the verdict to get a promotion and potentially do good work there, or will you compromise your morals again for the next position? Eastwood at his best has always been about those grey areas.
Hoult really elevates this. Definitely some suspension of belief required but the questions it’s posing are worth it in my opinion. Not in love with the final shot but I’m not really sure why. There’s a goofier version of this that ends when he leaves the cemetery and then immediately No Body No Crime plays over the end credits
plot holes in a crime drama doesn't really phase me, like I wouldn't expect an episode of Law and Order to follow the rules of the universe
I think I just expected it to be more open ended to sit and wonder if she tries to make it right or if maybe he turns himself in or something. That’s just me though, not mad at anyone who was in on it. I wanted to feel kept on the edge a bit
Generally speaking, I expected this to feel more suffocating than it did. But that might’ve been. Me thing more than the movie itself. I think I expected to sit with the “what would you do” more than the “will he get caught” question
This was entertaining and excellently acted by the leads but I’m kind of surprised to see all the rave reviews in here. Like was this not…kind of dumb? Don’t get me wrong, I can suspend disbelief to go along for a ride and beyond that I like plenty of dumb movies (Trap was one of my favorites of the year!), but some of the logic required to make this thing work was on the level of that movie. Which is one thing when we’re talking a fun ride and another with a movie taking itself completely seriously. the end kind of made me go wtf as well. Already skip past a deadlocked jury swinging back to guilty without showing us any of how it happened and then ending without hard resolution, even if it’s clear what it was suggesting would happen, felt lazy to me. I also didn't love the scene outside sentencing - Hoult putting himself in that situation is kind of ridiculous, at least if he’s fully made up his mind to protect himself as his speech to Collette implies he has. Intriguing premise, some great performances, and an overall fun 2 hours, but like definitely more silly than I felt like it intended to be.
I didn't like this. Everything with the actual jury was so unserious. We're really supposed to believe that Gabriel Basso is a drug dealing gang member in Georgia?