In what shaped out to be one of the most unlikely underdog stories of last fall, this old-fashioned courtroom drama directed by Clint Eastwood, now 94, proved doubters wrong (including Warner Bros.’ infamous CEO and certified scumbag David Zaslav) when it became an improbable word-of-mouth hit on streaming after being unceremoniously pulled from theaters merely a week after its rollout.
Even if the studio made it near impossible to watch at the multiplex, anyone bemoaning the recent demise of adult-oriented, mid-budget popcorn entertainment owe it to themselves to check this slippery morality play starring Nicholas Hault as a small-town average Joe selected for jury duty who suddenly realizes he might be involved with the ongoing murder trial in more ways than one.
The kind of straightforward, meats-and-potatoes legal thriller that’s all but disappeared from Hollywood’s ecosystem as of late, “Juror #2” is destined to become essential cable-viewing fodder specifically made for your dad to watch and fall asleep to in a recliner on a Saturday afternoon.