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Runaway Jury
20th Century Fox Film Corporation


4.0

based on 38 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 53 votes
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for violence, language and thematic elements

Starring John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Bruce Davison, Bruce McGill, Jeremy Piven, Nick Searcy, and Jennifer Beals

A suspense-thriller about a high-priced and ruthless jury "consultant" (Hackman) who will stop at nothing to secure a verdict on an explosive trial. (Fox)

GENRE(S):	Crime \| Drama \| Suspense/Thriller
WRITTEN BY:	Brian Koppelman David Levien Rick Cleveland and Matthew Chapman John Grisham (novel The Runaway Jury)
DIRECTED BY:	Gary Fleder
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: February 17, 2004 Video: February 17, 2004 Theatrical: October 17, 2003
RUNNING TIME:	127 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

The already heavy-footed clomp of Grisham's declamatory storytelling style has been given an extra-thick-soled, wing-tipped, liberal-leaning, reality-tampering kick thanks to a screenplay credited to four writers.

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

A taut, escapist legal thriller.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

Like a juicy steak served to a man suffering on a diet of micro-greens and tofu, Runaway Jury will be devoured by fans of movie melodramas.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

This bracing courtroom thriller is the most entertaining and satisfying John Grisham adaptation I've seen.

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

Efficient, precise, carefully calibrated and terrifically entertaining.

Empire Anna Smith

It's the familiarity of it all that makes this a movie for movie-lovers: those who like good old-fashioned popcorn entertainment that reminds them of their favourite films.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The movie hums along with a kind of sublime craftsmanship, fueled by the consistent performances of Hackman and Hoffman (in their first film together), the remarkable ease of John Cusack (the most relaxed and natural of actors since Robert Mitchum), and the juicy typecasting in the supporting roles.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

Brisk pacing and a remarkable cast achieve the sleight-of-hand effect of making you forgive some implausible twists and a sanitized ending.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

The picture captures a contemporary mood-blend of cynicism, anger and woefully disappointed idealism. Runaway Jury may be just a classy potboiler, but Fleder spices up the stock and keeps it at full boil.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

The closest cinematic approximation to a beach novel that money and skill can buy.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

A courtroom drama with a compelling story and something peculiar about it, too: For most of its running time, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of a rooting interest. The audience isn't quite sure who it's for or against.

Chicago Tribune Mark Caro

It's suspenseful. Fleder and his able cast deliver a brisk, entertaining story that, despite straining credulity at times, earns a positive verdict -- no undue audience-rigging required.

Variety Todd McCarthy

With the standard Grisham formula having grown stale after so many books and film versions, Jury introduces ingredients that add zest to the old recipe and, in cinematic terms, open up increased possibilities for intrigue and narrative layering.

Los Angeles Times Manohla Dargis

The spirit of the law will be upheld (this being Hollywood), but only after everyone has had plenty of nasty fun (this being Hollywood).

The New York Times A.O. Scott

John Cusack gives one of his wiliest performances in some time, and one of his most mature, as Nick Easter, an aging slacker drafted into jury duty. He subverts his protracted-adolescent cheekiness and pours the melted charm into something far bleaker.

Slate David Edelstein

Adds up to a nice little gotcha! courtroom melodrama.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

This story of 12 manipulable -- or manipulative -- men and women rarely fails to hold your interest, even though much of it doesn't hold water.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Paul West

The irony is that when the movie plays it safe, it succeeds admirably; when it attempts to be about something, it rings false.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

There's little that will surprise anyone who's seen or read Grisham's work before, but it plays with slick competence, and there's that killer-diller showdown in the middle as a payoff.

Austin Chronicle Steve Davis

A notch above the mediocre movies that are usually made from mediocre John Grisham bestsellers. That may sound like faint praise, but it’s an endorsement for this surprisingly entertaining film.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

Grisham is an expert at hooking the audience, and he fills the edges with legal details that, realistic or not, are always fascinating. Runaway Jury is an adequate, unremarkable piece of work, but as they say in the book world, you won't be able to put it down.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

Its themes and performances didn't stay with me, as did those in "Out of Time." I think this is because, with the exception of Hackman, the actors' performances illuminate strategy rather than character.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

The film has its share of high points, but the flaws are frustratingly obvious and impossible to overlook.

New York Post Megan Lehmann

Delivers one of those classic movie moments in which two screen legends go toe to toe, both barrels metaphorically blazing.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Entertaining and preposterous in nearly equal amounts.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

Does not disappoint expectations: This is not a case of dumbing down literature; it's mediocrity aimed for and successfully achieved.

Film Threat Rory L. Aronsky

It’s a crisp piece of entertainment that was worth waiting for, considering that I’ve been waiting quite a long time to see this ever since reading the book.

TV Guide Ken Fox

It's a clever legal thriller, one that thankfully doesn't twist itself into a knots trying to keep audiences off guard.

New York Magazine Peter Rainer

The inevitable showdown between these two paragons is something of a fizzle; there's too much over/under-acting going on.

LA Weekly Chuck Wilson

As in all his films, there's a sense that honest human emotion bores Fleder, but he gets points for packing the trial with fine character actors.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Hackman and Hoffman, old pals in their first film together, make a lively business of their one scene together -– in a toilet, no less. The rest you can flush.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

After arousing high expectations, Runaway Jury turns out to be a trial to sit through.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

Though star-packed to the point of absurdity--juror Luis Guzmán has little to do but nod his head every once in a while--The Runaway Jury doesn't know what to do with its players.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

Not nearly enough time is spent in court--that is, on the movie's ostensible subject. (Besides, the down-to-the-wire deliberation scene is risibly unconvincing and abbreviated.)

Premiere Sara Brady

Irritatingly, Fleder's flair for broadcasting plot twists treats the audience with the same patronizing indulgence as Hackman does his potential jurors.

Salon.com Charles Taylor

Here's a real mystery: How can John Cusack, Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman, acting in a John Grisham thriller, be so dull?

USA Today Mike Clark

Only slightly more slick and slightly less edgy than past John Grisham adaptations.

Dallas Observer Luke Y. Thompson

Hackman, playing it gleefully amoral, walks away with the film, for what that's worth...which is a video rental for fans of the actors involved. Yes, that's video, not DVD -- four bucks at Blockbuster is more than you ought to be paying.

The average user rating for this movie is 4.0 (out of 10) based on 53 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Xuphor gave it a4:
I watched this movie in my Government class. In my opinion, it was worse than many of the educational movies that are played. Save yourself the pain, and do NOT watch this for pure joy, instead, be forced to watch it in school, it's at least be better than just sitting in a desk.

Cat gave it a0:
The worst movie I have ever seen, bar none. And I believe in gun control! It was just so contrived and melodramatic (oh, this juror's an alcoholic, this one's the victim of domestic abuse, blah blah blah) and the fairytale ending was just plain vapid and unrealistic. Not to mention that it was very poor in the technical department–the camera angles and the pace of the movie literally gave me a headache. I wanted to walk out of this movie so bad but alas, I could not since my parents had forced me to go see it for some obscene reason. But I know I'd sooner go blind than ever see it again.

Ty S. gave it a 7:
Loved the book and adored the movie. I hope more of his recent books make it to film as well... Grisham is a master writer!

John G. gave it a 3:
My expectations ran high, perhaps too high, when I read the cast list for this movie. Unfortunately, like some other born-of-a-personal-misfortune/neurosis movies (dare I say Oliver Stone?) the constant barrage of anti-gun stereotypes soon began to muddle what could have been an interesting movie. Let a movie be a movie, not an exorcism of someone's personal bitterness about a resented civil liberty. A judicious editing could still save this movie.

Vikram M. gave it a 10:
Is everyone out of their minds! This movie was awesome!!!!!! Oh my god! John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman give a GREAT PERFORMANCE! But I am still entiteled to my opinions, and I am sorry if I offended anyone.

Barbara D. gave it a 5:
Entertaining, but difficult to follow at first. Moved fast, hard to pay close attention. Re the other opinions on this board - I am for the strictest gun control possible, no one should have a gun, I'm also against the death penalty, but these topics make for interesting movies, regardless of ones personal feelings.

Fred H. gave it an 8:
A fun legal thriller, nothing more nothing less. You can poke holes in it if you're the type but its definitely entertaining and has some great acting. Don't let the gun control subject matter scare you off, no matter which side you take. If you wanna see a movie about gun violence, see Bowling for Columbine and you'll never think the same way about guns again.

Runaway Jury 20th Century Fox Film Corporation

Runaway Jury
20th Century Fox Film Corporation