Nicholas Hoult gives a career defining performance as a man chosen for jury duty in a high profile murder case. Within 15 minutes, the story takes a turn that sets his moral dilemma for the rest of the film. Jonathan A. Abrams penned a script that continually creates dramatic tension, while director Clint Eastwood has guided his cast to exceptional performances, esp. Hoult and Toni Collette as the prosecutor. He’s also kept the pace crisp and allowed for some attractive cinematography. This film takes the old-school courtroom drama framework and adds a personal element that keeps it continually involving and sometimes gripping. One of the best films of Eastwood’s career.
OBSERVATION: We just spent 3 days in Charleston, where this film is set. It’s surprising that there were no Black characters in principle roles: only 2 of the 13 jury members were Black, both attorneys, the judge and other supporting characters were all white. That didn’t represent the Charleston that we saw, which was very racially mixed. 
(4 / 5)
