I don't think this is even in theatres anymore, which is really unfortunate because it was good enough to be placed onto my top 10 of 2014 list. The moment it is either on DVD, BlueRay, or Netflex, you all need too watch it because, holy guacamole, it was - IS - fantastic!!
The cinematography was wonderful. Very unique, at times, but it worked. How it was shot gave the audience a clear view of the plot, the details of the characters and scenes, what a specific character may have been thinking in certain scenes, it was just all around GOOD.
Hank Palmer (Robert Downey, Jr.) was a rather deep character, and Downey does an amazing job playing it off. This film has allowed me to respect him as an actor on a whole new level. Moments where Downey was crying in a scene, or holding back tears, I fully believed Hank was genuinely crying or wanting to cry. The realness was just so beautiful.
If I had to pick a favorite moment, it would have to be the very last shot of the very last scene. Hank is in the courtroom, after the trial had finished, he goes up to the judges chair and spins it around. As it spins, he stands there, staring at it. I honestly wondered if the chair would ever stop, but as it spun, it was almost like I could see the gears turning in Hank Palmer's head as he continued to star at the gradually slowing chair. I knew that he was contemplating whether or not HE should be the town's judge. As the chair slowed and eventually ceased, it stopped with the seat of the chair open towards Hank, as if to invite him in. That, mixed with the look on Hank's face, told me that he had just made his decision. BOOM. That's good filmmaking!!
I could say so much more, and I really should have written this last week so that I could recall all I wanted to share about this film. It was just so good, honestly, one of the best I've seen. Please, watch it.
I give The Judge a 10 out of 10
