The Judge

Name: The Judge
Genre: Drama
Released: October 10, 2014
Duration: 141 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Balthazar Getty, Billy Bob Thornton, Leighton Meester, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall

2014

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 281 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 281 Ratings

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The Judge

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. | Release Date: October 10, 2014 | R

Starring: Balthazar Getty, Billy Bob Thornton, Leighton Meester, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio

Summary: Big city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his estranged father, the town’s judge (Robert Duvall), is suspected of murder. He sets out to discover the truth and along the way reconnects with the family he walked away from years before.

Director: David Dobkin

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 141 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Rex Reed

Oct 8, 2014

Equal parts courtroom drama, legal thriller and family saga, it’s also a synchronized duet for two terrific actors at the top of their craft that left me stunned. Read full review

Joe Williams

Oct 9, 2014

Despite playing with a stacked deck, The Judge is guilty of exceeding expectations. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Oct 9, 2014

Two words that come to mind when considering The Judge are generic and predictable. It's also well-intentioned and earnest (perhaps to a fault). Read full review

Richard Roeper

Oct 9, 2014

The actual case isn’t all that complex or compelling, and the eventual explanation for what happened is almost an afterthought. By the time all the ghosts and feuds have been put to rest, it’s surprising how little we care about these characters. Read full review

David Edelstein

Oct 10, 2014

In The Judge, a legal drama that builds to the requisite Hollywood Dark Night of the Soul, Robert Downey Jr. has a role so far inside his comfort zone that the movie has no drive, no urgency. Read full review

The Playlist Kevin Jagernauth

Sep 5, 2014

The Judge has the curious ability of straining too hard while managing to say nothing dramatically. Read full review

Chris Cabin

Oct 8, 2014

One long trial of moral duty, and one that excuses repugnant behavior and psychological warfare in lieu of a repetitive, condescending sermon on honoring thy father. Read full review

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User Reviews

ydnar4

Oct 15, 2014

The Judge is a departure from Robert Downey Jr as he has been potraying Iron Man for the past several years and hasn't done much of anything else that was significant. This movie displays a great performance from him and it seems to me as if he is almost playing Iron Man again at the firstThe Judge is a departure from Robert Downey Jr as he has been potraying Iron Man for the past several years and hasn't done much of anything else that was significant. This movie displays a great performance from him and it seems to me as if he is almost playing Iron Man again at the first of the movie but it morphs into so much more than that before. Robert Duvall was great in The Judge as well. This movie really triggered my emotions and I think it could very well be the best movie I've seen this year and its certainly worth watching.… Expand

10 of 10 users found this helpful100

arkcoss

Jan 19, 2015

It is definitely the movie for the male part, because no one better can understand son and father relationship. Simply amazing with the right amount of humors and emotios.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Toffenuff

Jan 6, 2015

I really liked this movie. Sure, it has its flaws but the performances by the amazing cast are too good. Not to mention the fact that the film resonated with me very strongly because of how much I could relate to a big chunk of what was going on as well as the characters themselves. PlusI really liked this movie. Sure, it has its flaws but the performances by the amazing cast are too good. Not to mention the fact that the film resonated with me very strongly because of how much I could relate to a big chunk of what was going on as well as the characters themselves. Plus it's nice to see RDJ play someone else other than Tony Stark again, though the character he portrays does admittedly have shades of Stark in him.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Scottshak

Nov 12, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Robert Duvall‬ is outstanding and so is Robert Downey Jr.

Little outbursts and disagreements of the duo have been executed brilliantly and framed exceptionally well by ‪Dobkin‬. The bit where Duvall rushes up in high squall carrying a temper whilst Downey follows for war is one of the most dramatic scenes that shows how puny nature is against human commotion! Humour is strewn in the movie and when you have Downey with the bat, it always makes home runs.

Drenched with drama the movie has an apt theme that runs around the convicted irony - the Judge who isn't willing to let his guard down and who hates his middle son Downey for so many irreparable reasons that he can't just give in. Whilst Downey, the forlorn child who never returned to his parents owing to the long born and bred abomination he burnt in, tries to save him from the clouded murder of a foul-mouthed obnoxious hill-billy.

The score is apt and the screenplay is intense. Loved how Dobkin carried it all. The amount of focus he put in, in every frame is worth commending. A must watch for Downey's wit lovers and also for dramaholics.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Ripperskite

Jan 6, 2015

Juega mucho con los sentimientos y está llena de pequeños detalles que la hacen una buena película. Puede que en algún momento se haga pesada/larga, pero no aburre.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

FilipeNeto

Jun 25, 2018

In this film, a son who graduated as a lawyer returns to his homeland, a small town in the country to see his father, who is a local court judge and with whom he has never had a good relationship. However, he ends up offering to defend him when the elderly judge is charged with murder. TheIn this film, a son who graduated as a lawyer returns to his homeland, a small town in the country to see his father, who is a local court judge and with whom he has never had a good relationship. However, he ends up offering to defend him when the elderly judge is charged with murder. The best of the film is the story, a family drama that holds our attention from the beginning because the characters were so well developed psychologically that they end up touching us. Robert Downey Jr. and veteran Robert Duvall give life to son and father, respectively, and both are huge in their performances, being very good how they interact with each other in front of the camera. But neither are sympathetic characters. They are very similar, cranky and a little stern, and because they are very similar, they have difficulty living together. The rest of the cast plays secondary roles but gives good support to these two actors.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

YungWonder21

Mar 5, 2015

Awful awful awful awful worst movie I've ever **** seen god damn gay as **** I'm just typing more characters to fulfill the 150 character quota but 4real The Judge sucks so much Jesus God.

0 of 7 users found this helpful07

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76	#76 Most Discussed Movie of 2014
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