Advanced Search >
Help Me Search

Movies

Weekend Box Office
Film Awards & Top 10s By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores

Wide Releases
Now In Theaters

sort by namesort by score

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Limited Releases
Now In Theaters

sort by namesort by score

58 (Untitled)
96 35 Shots of Rum
56 Adam
72 Adela
39 Adventures of Power
78 Afghan Star
61 After the Storm
66 Afterschool
xx All the Best
58 American Casino
72 Amreeka
48 Antichrist
73 Araya
62 Art & Copy
55 As Seen Through These Eyes
76 Baader Meinhof Complex, The
86 Beaches of Agnes, The
13 Beautiful Life, A
70 Beeswax
35 Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
71 Big Fan
66 Black Dynamite
51 Blind Date
xx Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly
76 Bliss
35 Blue Tooth Virgin, The
26 Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, The
57 Boys Are Back, The
45 Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
81 Bright Star
70 Bronson
45 Burning Plain, The
xx Carriers
55 Casi Divas
57 Chelsea on the Rocks
62 Cloud 9
65 Coco Before Chanel
69 Cold Souls
59 Collapse
44 Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha
82 Cove, The
75 Crude
82 Damned United, The
67 Departures
xx Dil Bole Hadippa
71 Disgrace
xx Do Knot Disturb
70 Earth Days
24 Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat
85 Education, An
55 Endgame
xx Eulogy for a Vampire
xx Everyone Else
xx Fatal Promises
56 Fifty Dead Men Walking
62 Five Minutes of Heaven
74 Flame & Citron
49 Food Beware: The French Organic Revolution
80 Food, Inc.
28 Free Style
xx From Mexico with Love
50 Fuel
25 Gentlemen Broncos
50 Give Me Your Hand
58 Gogol Bordello Non-Stop
72 Good Hair
89 Goodbye Solo
52 Grace
66 Harmony and Me
81 Headless Woman, The
xx Heretics, The
63 Horse Boy, The
73 House of the Devil, The
xx How to Seduce Difficult Women
74 Humpday
94 Hurt Locker, The
29 I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell
16 If One Thing Matters: A Film About Wolfgang Tillmans
75 In Search of Beethoven
83 In the Loop
61 Intimate Enemies
42 Irene in Time
70 It Might Get Loud
46 Killing Kasztner
19 Labor Day
xx Laila's Birthday
41 Little Ashes
41 Little Traitor, The
66 Liverpool
34 Looking for Palladin
80 Lorna's Silence
83 Maid, The
xx Ministers, The
59 More Than a Game
67 Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, The
34 Motherhood
62 My One and Only
xx Mystery Team
48 New York, I Love You
73 Night and Day
66 No Impact Man
47 Ong Bak 2: The Beginning
34 Other Man, The
xx Painter Sam Francis, The
54 Paper Heart
xx Paradise
68 Paranormal Activity
68 Paris
44 Peter and Vandy
35 Play the Game
77 Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire
xx Pretty Ugly People
65 Providence Effect, The
76 Rembrandt's J'accuse
69 September Issue, The
79 Serious Man, A
40 Shrink
61 Skin
77 Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake, A
xx Skiptracers
46 Splinterheads
39 St. Trinian's
89 Still Walking
50 Stoning of Soraya M., The
55 Storm
65 Tetro
70 That Evening Sun
72 Thirst
xx Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (re-release)
61 Trucker
xx Turning Green
83 U2 3D
66 Unmade Beds
66 Unmistaken Child
70 Visual Acoustics
55 Walt & El Grupo
67 Way We Get By, The
69 We Live in Public
64 Wedding Song, The
64 Where is Where?
xx White on Rice
74 Woman in Berlin, A
69 World's Greatest Dad
70 Yes Men Fix the World
69 Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg
xx You, the Living

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Runaway Jury

EMAILPRINT20th Century Fox Film Corporation

Runaway Jury reviews
61
4.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 38 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 53 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >

Movie Info

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:
Theatrical: October 17, 2003
DVD: February 17, 2004

Running Time: 127 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

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)

What The Critics Said

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...

83

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.

Read Full Review >
80

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

A taut, escapist legal thriller.

Read Full Review >
80

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.

Read Full Review >
80

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

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

Read Full Review >
80

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

Efficient, precise, carefully calibrated and terrifically entertaining.

Read Full Review >
80

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.

Read Full Review >
75

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.

Read Full Review >
75

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.

Read Full Review >
75

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.

Read Full Review >
75

Boston Globe Ty Burr

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

Read Full Review >
75

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.

Read Full Review >
75

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.

Read Full Review >
70

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.

Read Full Review >
70

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).

Read Full Review >
70

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.

Read Full Review >
70

Slate David Edelstein

Adds up to a nice little gotcha! courtroom melodrama.

Read Full Review >
70

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.

67

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.

Read Full Review >
67

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.

Read Full Review >
67

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.

Read Full Review >
63

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.

Read Full Review >
63

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.

Read Full Review >
63

ReelViews James Berardinelli

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

Read Full Review >
63

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.

Read Full Review >
63

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Entertaining and preposterous in nearly equal amounts.

Read Full Review >
63

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.

Read Full Review >
60

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.

Read Full Review >
60

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.

Read Full Review >
50

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.

Read Full Review >
50

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.

Read Full Review >
50

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.

Read Full Review >
50

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

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

Read Full Review >
50

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.

Read Full Review >
50

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.)

Read Full Review >
50

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.

Read Full Review >
50

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?

Read Full Review >
50

USA Today Mike Clark

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

Read Full Review >
30

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.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

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.

Read more user comments >

Popular on CBS sites: SEC Football | NFL | Video Game Cheats | iPhone | Video Game Reviews | Notebooks | Antivirus Software

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use