The Judge

Big time defense attorney Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) is called back to his hometown in Indiana for his mother’s funeral. While home, long standing tensions between Hank and his father (Robert Duvall), are pushed to a new level. Hank’s father happens to be the town’s judge, who also happens to be under investigation for murder; meanwhile old flame Samantha (Vera Farmiga) has a few life lessons to impart as well, this homecoming is bittersweet to say the least. Making amends, becoming the fair and good man his father would want him to be, and defending his father in court against Prosecutor Dickham (Billy Bob Thornton), will Hank have the chops and strength to make it all happen?judge Directed by David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers and The Change-up), The Judge is a distinct change of tone from what one might expect from Dobkin and angles drama with elements of dry comedy as only Downey Jr. can deliver. Meanwhile, a strong performance from powerhouse Duvall doesn’t go unnoticed either. Sadly the film’s stereotypical, paint by numbers character development fails to create real meaningful depth, try as the screenplay might. And, the overall too convenient storyline perfectly bundles up all loose ends for an ending that ultimately falls flat. Sadly, scoring from Thomas Newman even feels unchallenged and uninspired. That’s not to say the film is all bad; rather, the film’s just not as compelling as one might hope. Perhaps a matinee or rental later, The Judge is rated R.