R, 141 minutes
“The Judge,” a dramatic star vehicle for Robert Downey Jr., has a solid premise and terrific performances by him and Robert Duvall. But the movie is so overloaded with secondary characters and needless subplots the main dynamic is left weakened.
Downey plays Hank Palmer, a big-city attorney summoned back to his tiny Indiana hometown after the death of his mother. He and his dad, Joseph (Duvall), a prominent local judge, have never seen eye-to-eye, and seem prepared to never speak again.
Then the judge is accused of deliberately running down the town miscreant, and Hank must defend him in court against a high-roller prosecutor (Billy Bob Thornton) brought in special to bring the elder Palmer down. The latter half or so of the movie is dominated by the trial, with all three actors spouting crackling dialogue and chewing the scenery.
But then there’s “the other.” This includes an old flame, sibling rivalry, personal vendettas and other extraneous material that threatens to topple the delicate balance of volatile personalities that are the core of the film’s ample appeal.
“The Judge” is still worth watching, if only to see these veteran actors ply their craft. But when it comes to storytelling, there’s such a thing as subtraction by addition.
Movie: C+
